The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, confronted residents of the FCT over accusations of illegal land acquisition, during a heated visit to the community on Tuesday.
The minister, in a video recorded by one of the residents during the confrontation and shared on social media, criticized residents who had protested against the recent demolition of properties in the area.
It was reported that the incident took place in the Lugbe area of the FCT.
Surrounded by security personnel, Wike scolded the residents for allegedly claiming land illegally.
“You cannot come to a place and seize land and say it is your own. We will not allow that,” he stated. “If you do not know what to do, we will teach you what to do.”
The residents, however, challenged Wike’s claims, insisting they had documents proving their legal ownership of the land.
“We are not land grabbers, we are developers. We have papers. We have submitted these papers to the authorities,” some residents said.
The minister reacted angrily to their response, interrupting them with, “Keep quiet!
“Every land in the FCT belongs to the FCT. The Supreme Court has ruled that the area councils do not have the power to allocate land.”
He added that the proper legal channel for disputes was the courts, warning the residents, “Who told you you can talk? Is it because I came down to talk to you? If you think that you take something… you are not the only one. Be careful. Stupid.”
The FCT administration has recently been conducting demolitions, citing violations of the city’s master plan.
PUNCH
