Residents of at least 10,288 houses in Mpape would be rendered homeless by August 31, as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that it is fine-tuning arrangements for the demolition of the properties which it termed as illegal.

This is apart from properties to be demolished in 18 other villages which would suffer similar fate at the same period, even as there is a subsisting court order restraining the FCTA from carrying out the demolition.

The development is contrary to the directive of an Abuja High Court in Bwari last Friday: it ordered the parties to maintain the status quo and ordered the minister to halt the planned demolition of Mpape pending the determination of a substantive suit filed by Mpape residents asking the court to restrain the FCTA from demolishing their houses.

Though Justice Abubakar Kutigi refused to grant order of perpetual injunction to restrain the FCTA, he held that, with or without such order, once a matter was before a court of competent jurisdiction for adjudication, all parties in the matter were bound to maintain the status quo. He adjourned to October 11 for commencement of hearing of the substantive matter.

The FCTA had given a two-month notice to residents of Mpape and 18 other communities to leave the areas on or before August 31 as the areas had been earmarked for demolition.

The pronouncement by the FCTA has been the subject of protests and debate with many organisations, including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), wading in to ensure the rights of the people are not violated in the process.

But a statement from the office of the minister, signed by his chief press secretary, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, said the administration had already marked 10,288 illegal structures in Mpape for demolition just as it had intensified sensitisation and consultation with village chiefs and residents of the area.

According to the statement, the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who disclosed this during the monthly FCT Operations Briefing Session in Gwarinpa I District, Abuja, said the administration welcomed the court pronouncement of last Friday on the impending Mpape demolition and urged the affected persons to please show understanding.

The minister said while the FCTA would uphold the rule of law in consonance with the transformation agenda of the federal government, it was gratifying that the court “has justified the mandate of the FCT administration for such action thus far”.

Mohammed appealed to residents to cooperate with the government as demolitions were carried out in the interest of the people since it was not intended to inflict hardship on the residents, adding that the sustained health as well as security of the collective populace are of paramount concern.

He added that apart from safeguarding the Abuja Master Plan, demolitions were usually carried out for sanitary and security reasons because threats in these realms had to be nipped in the bud.

This is apart from properties to be demolished in 18 other villages which would suffer similar fate at the same period, even as there is a subsisting court order restraining the FCTA from carrying out the demolition.

The FCTA had given a two-month notice to residents of Mpape and 18 other communities to leave the areas on or before August 31 as the areas had been earmarked for demolition.


This is more hardship on the people. Know folks who spend hard earned income on erecting properties in this area

I am a resident of Mpape. I have heard and listened to a whole lot of what people have said, my questions are as follows:
B4 I even ask, will this get the audience of the FCTA on all our complaints?

* where is the rule of law when FCTA decides to go ahead and demolish despite the court ruling?

* where is the "one naija" wen indigenes of Mpape are given preference over non-indigenes?

* why are there no alternative settlements b4 they carry out their supposed demolition?

* Mpape wasn't part of the abuja plan (as said by the elrufai govt), hence people's movt to the place. The only thing elrufai said then was "they do so at their risk because mpape is close to where they blast rocks"

* I hope the demolition also includes Berger Quarry, Crushed rocks and other construction companies.

Its public knowledge now that Patience Jonathan, Dangote and some other big men have bought the whole Mpape because of the proximity to town (Maitama).
I just renewed my rent 3months ago (like 600k for 2bedroom) and the house was marked last month (May 18). This is even coming after I lost my job with the bank.
Where is the compassion for the citizens? Where are our govt so selfish and insensitive?
May I also correct the notion that Mpape is a slum? Not all mpape parts are slums

Thank you.

jiggo: I am a resident of Mpape. I have heard and listened to a whole lot of what people have said, my questions are as follows:
B4 I even ask, will this get the audience of the FCTA on all our complaints?

* where is the rule of law when FCTA decides to go ahead and demolish despite the court ruling?

* where is the "one naija" wen indigenes of Mpape are given preference over non-indigenes?

* why are there no alternative settlements b4 they carry out their supposed demolition?

* Mpape wasn't part of the abuja plan (as said by the elrufai govt), hence people's movt to the place. The only thing elrufai said then was "they do so at their risk because mpape is close to where they blast rocks"

* I hope the demolition also includes Berger Quarry, Crushed rocks and other construction companies.

Its public knowledge now that Patience Jonathan, Dangote and some other big men have bought the whole Mpape because of the proximity to town (Maitama).
I just renewed my rent 3months ago (like 600k for 2bedroom) and the house was marked last month (May 18). This is even coming after I lost my job with the bank.
Where is the compassion for the citizens? Where are our govt so selfish and insensitive?
May I also correct the notion that Mpape is a slum? Not all mpape parts are slums

Thank you.

Feel for you bro. My Cousin told me the same-thing about Patience Jonathan interest in the area. What I keep wondering is why Govt closed their eyes when people were pouring their life savings in erecting structures in this area. Was the area marked for planning initially and were people adequately informed about this?, how will the billions in investment lost to the demolition be compensated?

And d FCT minister said they wana do it with a human face yet I ask, is it after demolition that they'll make alternatives? D residents will pack their luggages and wait on the streets for the govt to give them the keys to their new houses? What a country!!!

jiggo: I am a resident of Mpape. I have heard and listened to a whole lot of what people have said, my questions are as follows:
B4 I even ask, will this get the audience of the FCTA on all our complaints?

* where is the rule of law when FCTA decides to go ahead and demolish despite the court ruling?

* where is the "one naija" wen indigenes of Mpape are given preference over non-indigenes?

* why are there no alternative settlements b4 they carry out their supposed demolition?

* Mpape wasn't part of the abuja plan (as said by the elrufai govt), hence people's movt to the place. The only thing elrufai said then was "they do so at their risk because mpape is close to where they blast rocks"

* I hope the demolition also includes Berger Quarry, Crushed rocks and other construction companies.

Its public knowledge now that Patience Jonathan, Dangote and some other big men have bought the whole Mpape because of the proximity to town (Maitama).
I just renewed my rent 3months ago (like 600k for 2bedroom) and the house was marked last month (May 18). This is even coming after I lost my job with the bank.
Where is the compassion for the citizens? Where are our govt so selfish and insensitive?
May I also correct the notion that Mpape is a slum? Not all mpape parts are slums

Thank you.

I feel for you bros. My mom is affected too because she built a house in Mpape back in the day before Abuja became the capital of Nigeria. Though my mom does not live there because she has her own property in Garki, my aunt and her kids live in the house my mom built. Now, the house has been marked for demolition. Its really sad. Nigerian politicians really do not have any compassion for the ordinary citizens. Where do they want you all to move to? My mom told me of this Mpape demolition saga last week when we spoke over the phone. At the time my mom built her house there, Mpape was mostly bush. Now that people have used their life savings to build their houses, the government wants to demolish it because some greedy political heiffers want to build their mansions on the land. I tire for Nigeria matter.

dasparrow:

I feel for you bros. My mom is affected too because she built a house in Mpape back in the day before Abuja became the capital of Nigeria. Though my mom does not live there because she has her own property in Garki, my aunt and her kids live in the house my mom built. Now, the house has been marked for demolition. Its really sad. Nigerian politicians really do not have any compassion for the ordinary citizens. Where do they want you all to move to? My mom told me of this Mpape demolition saga last week when we spoke over the phone. At the time my mom built her house there, Mpape was mostly bush. Now that people have used their life savings to build their houses, the government wants to demolish it because some greedy political heiffers want to build their mansions on the land. I tire for Nigeria matter.

Heart breaking