Civil society groups representing Abuja’s Original Inhabitants have urged the Federal Government to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (C169) to safeguard their rights and address long-standing issues of marginalisation.
Speaking at a public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review and Amendment of the 1999 Constitution in Lafia, Nasarawa State, the leader of the Coalition of the FCT Nine Indigenous Peoples (COFIP), Engr. Shittu S. Chidawa, called for the creation of the FCT Indigenous Peoples Development Commission (FCT-IPDC). He said the commission would address land restitution, cultural preservation, access to healthcare and education, and economic empowerment for the native communities of the Federal Capital Territory.
Chidawa noted that existing laws, including the Land Use Act and Sections 147 and 299 of the 1999 Constitution, give the federal government sweeping control over the FCT, undermining indigenous land rights. He argued that these provisions violate principles such as free, prior, and informed consent as contained in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and ILO Convention 169.
Groups like the Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) have repeatedly raised concerns over the exclusion of Abuja natives from political representation, equitable land ownership, and cultural recognition. They believe ratifying ILO Convention 169 will align Nigeria with global standards and offer a legal framework for protecting indigenous communities.
The call adds pressure on the Federal Government to act on long-standing demands for justice, inclusion, and sustainable development for the FCT’s native people.
