Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to continue demolishing illegal structures in the nation’s capital, despite alleged blackmail in some quarters.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Mr Wike had been under fire for embarking on widespread demolition of houses in Abuja.
Recently, a construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, had raised the alarm over a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, to demolish its estate in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.
The property is reportedly owned by the family of the first cadet of the Nigerian Defence Academy, late Colonel Paul Osakpamwan Ogbebor.
But speaking during the distribution of operational vehicles to security agencies at the FCTA secretariat on Thursday, Mr Wike said the structures being demolished by the FCDA are properties illegally built on government lands.
“Let me use this opportunity to tell Nigerians and residents of Abuja, we are not afraid of blackmail.
“In fact, you cannot be in this kind of position and say you cannot be blackmailed, particularly as regards this Abuja.
“There are so many land grabbers. Some of us have come to put our feet down. Let heaven fall.
“It is even better that heaven comes down now so that we would not be fasting again to go to heaven.
“We would stop anybody who thinks they will take government land for whatever reason without formal approval. We would not look at your face.
“If you like, be a civil rights activist or a television personality. No amount of blackmail can stop us. People take government property without approval or documentation.”
