Abuja Natives Say They’ve Been Left Behind, Demand Justice and Compensation
Original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory say they have been excluded from the benefits of Abuja’s development and are now demanding long-overdue compensation and acknowledgment of their rights.
Speaking at a Senate public hearing on constitutional amendments in Jos, Plateau State, spokesperson for the FCT Stakeholders Assembly, Ezekiel Musa Dalhatu, said more than 80 percent of native lands in Abuja remain uncompensated, and many displaced communities have yet to be resettled.
He reminded lawmakers that when Abuja was chosen as the new capital in 1975, the Justice Akinola Aguda panel recommended fair compensation and proper relocation for affected residents. Those promises, he said, are still unfulfilled.
Our people have been pushed aside in their own land, Dalhatu said. We lack basic rights and recognition. We are urging lawmakers to correct this long-standing injustice and give us our rightful place in Abuja.
