News

River Park Estate Demolition Notice: FCDA Denies Involvement Before Reps Probe

Published

5 months ago

February 29, 2024

Following the summon by the House of Representatives Committee on public Petition of the FCT over the demolition notice of the River Park Estate, the director of the department of the development control in Federal Capital Development Authority, Muktair Galadima Usman has denied knowledge of such notice.

The committee, sequel to the petition by the residents of the River Park summoned the minister of FCT, director of department of the development control and officials and the developer, Mr Paul Odili with a view to resolving the age long crisis in the area.

Having denied any knowledge of notice of demolition, the Chairman of the committee Mike Etiaba ruled that the committee will make on the spot visit of the area to access the place to know where the committee whether the FCDA or the developer.

The chair however, adjourned sitting still 21st of March and urged the residents to remain calm, he also appealed to them to make all the relevant papers concerning the lands available to the committee.

In the petition to the speaker of the House, Rt Hon Abbas Tajudeen, the residents at the CRD Layout No. 0235 where we and our families with population of over 500 have been resident for not less than 15 years to come to their rescue.

The chairman of the resident association, Alhaji Abdulwasiu Mustapha appealed to the speaker to kindly lend support to suppressed voices by personally intervene and engage with FCT minister on this matter as all previous engagement s with the immediate past administration had yielded no positive result.

It would be recalled that these illegal activities took a frightening dimension on the 31st January 2015. Then Mr. Paul Odili together with about 30 armed miscreants and 4 persons in Police uniform invaded the Layout. Several people were beaten and properties were damaged with impunity.

This war-like incident, which was coordinated by the 4 people in Police uniform, left four residents of the estate with life-threatening machete injuries on their heads and chests. Mr. Paul Odili stationed some of the miscreants on the “conquered” lands and properties with firm instructions that they should not allow any development whatsoever in the layout.

In December 2016, Mr. Paul Odili came to the Layout again, arrogantly claiming that he had settled top officials of the Department of Development Control of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (MFCT) to demolish all the remaining houses located in the Layout. Like a joke, 3 days later, he mobilized 2 Bulldozers to the Layout and personally directed their operators to demolish some fences and dig very steep trenches around some undeveloped plots to make them inaccessible to their owners.

The attempts by some residents and landlord of the Layout to protest were violently resisted by Mr. Paul Odili and about 20 persons in Police uniform, who used their guns and horse whips to frighten and chase such residents and landlords.

The grand plan of Mr. Paul Odili is to forcibly acquired 475 hectares for the siting of River Park Estate. One wonders where this much land will come from in Lugbe, of all places. In pursuance of this grand plan, Mr. Paul Odili had illegal demolished over 10 houses and forcibly acquired about 150 plots in the CRD Lugbe 1, Layout. In the Layout alone, his intention is to forcibly acquire 475 plots. The CRD Lugbe I Layout is not the first Layout that had been so illegally canibalized by Mr. Paul Odili.

Part of Lugbe I Layout was forcibly acquired in this same Gestapo manner. To our chagrin, on Wednesday 7th February 2024, we were welcomed home from work with DEMOLITION NOTICES issued by the Department of Development Control on the ground that our houses either CONSTITUTED NUISANCES to other existing structures or built on land earmarked for CENTRAL MARKET (the attached refers).

This is a ruse and a ploy to misinform and misguide members of the public. It is hard to believe that these illegalities continue under the present FCT Administration, which professed to have no tolerance for corruption. As concerned residents and landlords, and responsible Nigerians in the CRD Lugbe I Layout, severally and collectively, we have reported these illegal activities of Mr. Paul Odili to the DPO Lugbe Police Station, the FCT Police Command, the Minister of the FCT, and the National Assembly, to no avail.

Our patience has been stretched to a point of exhaustion, however, we strongly believe that the long arm of the law shall catch-up with these illegalities. But we pray that the government should come to our rescue on time before the situation degenerate into a total breakdown of law and order in the Layout and its environs.

News

Finally, IGP approves hunger protests across Nigeria

Published

7 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Austin Ojomah

The Nigerian police has finally approved the planned nationwide protests and outlined conditions for participants.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, revealed this on Friday while addressing journalists in Abuja.

He urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.

The police boss said this was to ensure the protest was peaceful.

Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.

“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.

“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”

The police boss said the information expected from the organisers also include measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.

By providing the information, he said, the police will be able to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety.

He said the police needed to know the specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.

Mr Egbetokun said the police will “establish clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; minimise the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity.

“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.

News

Reps North-West Caucus Beg Youths, Citizens In The Region Not To Join Planned Protest

Published

8 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…commend President Tinubu’s development initiative

By Gloria Ikibah

The North-West caucus of the House of Representatives have appealed to youths, citizens in the region not to take part in the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1.

The caucus also appealed to the region’s citizens to give governments at federal and state levels more time to address their concerns, rather than joining the planned protest.

Chairman of the Caucus, Rep. Sada Soli, lawmaker representing Jibia/Kaita constituency, Katsina state, who stated this on Friday at a press conference in Abuja, emphasized that the region had suffered enough disruption and needed peace to restore its economy and social order

Rep. Soli explained that their stance to the recent signing of the North West Development Commission Bill into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which they believe will address the region’s development challenges.

He highlighted that the commission would guarantee the rebuilding of ruined infrastructure, from roads, schools, health facilities and markets, to homes and places of worship, business premises and other social amenities.

The lawmakers noted that the commission would tackle the multidimensional crisis caused by violence and terrorism in the region, which has affected agricultural activities, trade, and social amenities.

While acknowledging the region’s overwhelming support for President Tinubu in the last election, they expressed trust in his commitment to develop the region and further urged the President to intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges still prevalent in the region and called for a broader security sector reform.

The forum said: “The sporadic attacks have since escalated into a multidimensional crisis that has hampered agricultural activities and trade, and turned some of the most industrious and thriving communities in the North West geopolitical zone into ghost towns as people flee their homes and become refugees.

“This has manifestly impacted on the famous cross-border trade and flourishing agrobusiness between the geopolitical zone and neighboring countries. Most of our border constituencies, which were historically vibrant commercial centres, with massive large-scale farmers exporting produce to various parts of Africa, including Niger Republic, Mali, and Benin Republic, have since been abandoned by farmers, importers and exporters, due to this wanton violence. As a result, Internally Generated Revenues in these states have been negatively affected.

“Politically, in voting so overwhelmingly for President Tinubu in the last election, the North West geopolitical zone had hoped that the famous Asiwaju, who had shown himself to be a patriot of the first order and a man who believed in fairness and equity, would make policy decisions that will bring development to our states by rescuing them from the evils of banditry and cross border terrorism.

“This Commission is, therefore, a tremendous boost to the valiant efforts of the governors of the North West geopolitical zone and it has further justified our trust in President Tinubu’s commitment to help revamp this geopolitical zone and place it on a sound pedestal.

We must, however, appeal to the President to intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges still prevalent in the geopolitical zone particularly, and other parts of the country at large. A broader security sector reform will enable our people to return to their normal lives, leading to positive changes in economic development and social order.

“That is why members of the National Assembly, particularly members of the North West Caucus – and indeed other political, traditional and religious leaders in the North West geopolitical zone, do not support the scheduled nationwide protest planned by some elements to further disrupt the very delicate balance of the country right now.

“We appeal to the peaceful and law-abiding people of the North West geopolitical zone, who have suffered enough disruption of their peace, not to join in this potentially destructive exercise, but rather to give governments at both the Federal and State levels more chance to look at the issues concerned”, he added.

News

Reps Applaud FCT Minister, Wike On AICL Improved Revenue, Infrastructure

Published

8 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Chaired by Rep. Aliyu Muktar Betara has commended the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike on the ongoing infrastructural development projects across the nation’s capital, Abuja.

The lawmakers during an interactive session with the Group Managing Director of Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL), Dr. Moreen Tamuno praised her ingenuity towards improved revenue generation since assumption of office.

The GMD who presented her scorecard and strategy adopted to the committee, in the turnaround of AICL said that the company only manage the District markets not the entire markets across the territory.

According to her, Wuse markets is owned 90 percent by the individuals who bought the shops while AICL owns 10 percent.

She stated: “For example, Wuse market is owned 90 percent by the owners, we own 10 percent. What Abuja Management does for Wuse market is to manage the facility there through the toll taking which they do collect on our behalf and then they manage the facilities, they manage the refuse collections and they also work with the market association.”

Tamuno also disclosed that AICL cannot increase prices like other privately owned markets across the territory, noting that the prices adopted by AICL are controlled by the government.

She added that the Company is also managing part of the leakages envisaged such as monitoring these system of fares collection which was initially collected manually.

This, according to her, will help to tackle the menace of revenue leakages and help to pay dividends to FCTA coffers.

Responding to question on Abuja Properties, she noted that AICL is saddled with the responsibility of owning properties on behalf of the government.

“Before I got here, apart from two regimes of el-Rufai and Moddibo, the rest regimes, Abuja Property was dealing directly with the Minister. So, we did not have a control over what Abuja Property does suffice me to say. But with the incoming of the new Minister he has streamline the system that all of these people will have direct reporting line.

“So, what they do or what they are meant to do is to manage estates, different cadres of estates for the Middle Class, for the High Class and and different kind of people and also declare profits and pay dividends also which has never been done. But in the last discussion last month, because of the new process that has been set up, they are committed to making sure that they will do this year, to declare dividend to AICL.”

On Abuja Transport scheme, she noted that “the Abuja AMMCO has been a little epileptic really. Because as we speak I think they have only about 84 buses and then most of the buses are not working. Before I came, I heard they are meant to sell but on our finding, we found out that the calibre of buses we have ASHOK were very strong bus and there was no need to sell, we would see how we could use some of them to repair others and have them running.

“So, they’ve not been able to break even, there are some epileptic problems that we are looking at to see how we can help them.”

On the Abuja Films Village, she said: “we heard the story of Abuja Film Village, even before I became the Group Managing Director, but suffice me to say that for 24 years nobody went to see where is this place. But when I assumed office all I was hearing is don’t go there they kidnap and all of that. But we were able to weather the storm to get to the point in Guzaki. We have about 3,000 hectares of land there, which is being encumbered already, we have mining is taking place there. We are working with FCT fortunately I did a memo to the Minister which he has approved graciously and set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to know where our boundaries are. I saw miners on the plot he was really a tough place to go to.”

She explained that the Committee is expected to come up with the report to secure the parameters around the land and see what AICL could achieve there.

While noting that the entertainment industry is a thriving Sector, she explained that AICL has met some Stakeholders including Actors Guild who are already partnering with the company, with a view to stimulate the economy and create employment.

She noted that the company which was established over 30 years ago has metamorphosed to become an Holding Company is an investment arm of FCT and a Limited Liability Company, hence not in the Federal Government budget.

According to her, the two administrations ago set up other subsidiaries that suppose to work under AICL namely Power Launch which is a Leasing Company and Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company, Abuja Property Development and Abuna Market.

She added that AICL also has other subsidiaries namely Aso Savings, Abuja Tech Village where AICL owns 20 percent equity, and 6 percent with Abuja Intercontinental Hotel formerly known as Sheraton Hotel. She however noted that during the meeting held with the Hotel’s management, that the Hotel has recapitalized and gone PLC, thereby AICL share has reduced to 3 percent.

While noting that AICL is still in talk with Abuja Intercontinental Hotel since 3 percent is not sufficient to be on the board of the Hotel because it’s a nominal shareholder and could only go to General Meeting, efforts are ongoing to improve the system with a view to regularize the percentages of investment.

She noted that efforts are also being made to ensure that the company’s staff are well motivated by embarking on a lot of capacity building and to drive them to ensuring that we return dividends to owners which is FCT.

Dr. Tamuno who assured that the present AICL under her watch cannot afford to “leave FCT the way it was,” disclosed that her team has developed a “revolution in AICL. If you’ve ever been to the office before my resumption and you come now, from the gate you would know that there’s a change.

“We definitely are building bridges, we definitely are looking at how to reposition AICL and making progress. We’ve not had it good, thank God for the responsive Minister who listens and who’s ready to work to recapitalize. We have the muscle to weather what we are faced with.”

While thanking the lawmakers for the support and trust reposed in her team, Dr. Tamuno said: “Thank you Mr. Chairman for this opportunity to be able to tell you what Abuja Investment is all about but I want to reassure you that as your Junior Colleague, you can be sure that coupled with the fact that women want to do what we have to do, so we can sleep well. I will be able to do the needful and make cintei to FCT and of course to the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President, that I will do.”

Speaking after the AICL Group Managing Director’s presentation, Hon. Betara said: “As discussed with the Committee, you see a lot of members not you, before coming into Abuja Investment, but for us with the discussion we did to your previous team I told you, I was disappointed. Now I realize why the Minister of FCT is bringing in new hands into FCT.

“We know you, with the little time you came in, revenue has come up and we hope you’re not coming down.

“And I will advise you anybody that you’re not ready to work with, remove the person so that you can work well. The Committee is ready to support you and support FCT in general.”

On his part, Hon. Timilehin Adelegbe (APC-Ondo) who showered encomium on the new AICL management team led by Mrs. Tamuno said: “I met her when she was an Ambassador to Jamaica. I think in the whole Pacific she transformed Jamaica she’s very aggressive.

“So, when she was reeling out her achievements I think we have just seen little. What we need as a House is to encourage her and also urge her to do a holistic audit of staff who may be dragging you back which is very very important.”

On his part, Hon. Kanice More (APC-Imo), who applauded President Bola Tinubu for being gender sensitive in the appointment of women into critical sector of the economy, underscored the need to encourage the AICL Group Managing Director to achieve more fears.

He said: “I thank His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu for demonstration of gender sensitivity, inclusivity and friendliness in appointing a Lady, a Woman ans she has demonstrated capacity. I took time to study her, and I’ve listened to her, she started newly we should equally encourage her and I strongly believe that with more encouragement she will do more; and of course, to whom more is given, more is expected.”

Also speaking, Hon. Regina Akume (APC-Benue) said: “Madam, I want to thank you, before I’m seeing a spirit of its not my problem and it’s not my business, it’s government’s business, it’s not my business, that’s the spirit I’m seeing in here.

“And I want advise you all, that as long as you do not take property seriously, you cannot even make your own business because what a man sows he reaps.

“So, please government is for all of us. If you’re put there to do something, I know women are good managers, yes we women are good managers. So put all the broken pieces out them together and make us proud. That’s what I’m asking of you because there’s so much there that you can do. There’s so much laxity and it’s not right. The Chairman has said it, he net with you all, he will support them. But you must make him proud.”

While applauding the achievements recorded so far under the leadership of the FCT Minister, Hon. Betara said: “You have a Minister that’s a Lawyer, maybe that’s why you guys have improved.

“You guys need to improve. He doesn’t tolerate and if it is with law, he knows everything. So, for the Committee, if there’s anything we will require from you before we start the oversight, we are going to write you.”