Boma Achenimie 
Natives of Abuja have urged Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to include them in his plans to enhance the area so they can have a sense of pride in being Abuja’s indigenous people.
They made the plea on Monday at a news conference held by the Secretary of the Kpaduma 1 Community, Hon Joseph Madaki Shekwolo, saying it was imperative since the indigenous are aware of the minister’s desire to start developing most areas in the FCT.
“I want to sincerely appeal to the minister concerning the indigenous people of Abuja. When it comes to the time of development, he should please consider us the indigenes of Abuja.
“Because we have been neglected and marginalised for too long by past administrations, while our ancestral lands have been forcefully taken from us without due compensation,” he said.
He added that ever since the FCT was established, their land, which serves as their primary source of income as farmers, has been taken away from them with inadequate compensation.
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“So, we are appealing that when assessing areas occupied by natives that may affect the Abuja master plan, he should carry us along through integrating our major communities.
“Because almost all our ancestral land has been taken away from us and given to strangers, our roots are gradually been destroyed completely because of the development of the FCT.
“Even when it has to do with our farmland, we must plant economic trees on our lands before we are considered for compensation, without that we have no right on the land at all. As you see the farmlands, are the only source of our income,” he said.
Shekwolo added that previous administrations had forcefully taken possession of approximately 80% of the land in the FCT that belonged to indigenous before the FCT arrived.
“So, we are appealing to the honourable minister to consider this as a serious matter, that instead of just compensating us for economic trees, we should be carried along in the development plan.
“We are saying that if the government can revoke undeveloped plots of land, it should also consider we the indigenes that allocations fall on our residential houses, to revoke such allocations.
“Because they have collected all our farmlands, they are now claiming our residential areas. We have no other to call our homes but Abuja. The minister should set up a committee to look into our plight and map out ways to settle it for us,” he said.
The locals urged the minister to look into the security circumstances facing FCT citizens, claiming that the area councils of Kuje, Bwari, Abaji, Kwali, and Gwagwalada have turned into havens for criminals who pose a threat to the lives of locals.
“Even in AMAC where the president, the ministers, and all the service chiefs reside. The lives of residents are always in danger because of armed bandit attacks in most rural communities. Indigenous people living in rural areas cannot have access to their farmlands anymore because of fear of bandits. The minister should tackle this issue for us,” he said.
