By Adamu Abdullahi
Thousands of residents of the Kuchibedna community in Gwaripa, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), have been rendered homeless after officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), accompanied by policemen, demolished houses in the Gwaripa Estate near the ECWA Church.
The demolition, which reportedly took place on Tuesday without prior notice, has left families in shock and deep distress.
Eyewitnesses said the exercise turned chaotic when police officers on site fired tear gas to disperse the crowd as bulldozers advanced through the densely populated area, pulling down structures one after another. Scenes of confusion followed as families rushed to salvage their belongings, while others watched in tears as their properties were reduced to rubble.
A resident, Samuel Abagu, said he had reached out to several influential persons for help but was unsure who could intervene urgently.
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“This is a matter of urgency. The local government chairman needs to pay attention to such issues,” he said. “Our community existed long before the development of the Federal Capital. With the expansion and modernization of the FCT, indigenous people deserve proper compensation and notification.”
Several residents alleged that they were not adequately informed before the demolition commenced.
“We just woke up to see bulldozers in front of our houses,” said Mr. Joseph, a trader whose building was affected.
“This house has been here for over twenty years. No one came to give us proper notice or compensation.”
The FCTA Department of Development Control had earlier stated that the structures were allegedly built on the right-of-way for a major ring road. The agency insisted that the ongoing demolitions across Kuchibedna and neighbouring communities are part of a wider city safety and urban planning enforcement drive.
In a statement, the agency reaffirmed that the demolitions comply with the FCT Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law.
However, affected residents argue that the exercise is being carried out without empathy and without a clear compensation plan. Many homeowners claim to possess building approvals and documents dating back decades.
A resident, Mr. Haruna, said he invested his life savings in a mini shopping complex opposite the ECWA Church, only for it to be destroyed overnight.
“This is not development; this is destruction,” he lamented. “We support urban renewal, but we should not be treated like we don’t matter.”
Community leaders in Kuchibedna have appealed to the FCT Minister to reconsider the approach and ensure affected residents are properly engaged and compensated. They also called for alternative housing or business spaces to be provided for displaced families and traders.
“We are not against the government,” one community resident said, “but we need a human face to this process. Many people here have nowhere else to go.”
Many residents were away on their farms when the exercise began and returned to find their houses completely demolished. “We just came back from the farm and saw everything on the ground,” one resident lamented.
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