The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had a tense encounter with residents of the Lugbe area in Abuja on Tuesday over accusations of illegal land acquisition.
The confrontation occurred during Wike’s visit to the community, where he addressed the issue of recent demolitions and land disputes.
The incident, which was captured on video by a resident and shared widely on social media, showed Wike openly criticizing the residents who had previously protested the demolition of several properties in the area.
These demolitions were part of the FCT administration’s ongoing efforts to ensure that development in the capital city adheres to its master plan.
Wike, surrounded by security personnel, firmly addressed the residents, accusing some of them of unlawfully claiming land. In the video, he is seen saying, “You cannot come to a place and seize land and say it is your own. We will not allow that.” He added, “If you do not know what to do, we will teach you what to do.”
The residents, however, pushed back against these allegations, claiming they had followed the legal process for acquiring the land. Some of them insisted they possessed official documents proving their ownership and had submitted these documents to the relevant authorities.
In response, a few residents expressed their frustration, stating, “We are not land grabbers, we are developers. We have papers. We have submitted these papers to the authorities.”
Wike did not seem convinced by their defense and reacted angrily, cutting off the residents by commanding them to “Keep quiet!” He emphasized that land in the FCT is under the jurisdiction of the FCT government and not the local area councils.
He backed his statement with a reference to a ruling by the Supreme Court, which had clarified that local councils do not have the authority to allocate land within the capital. “Every land in the FCT belongs to the FCT. The Supreme Court has ruled that the area councils do not have the power to allocate land,” Wike reiterated.
The minister further warned the residents about attempting to confront him or challenge the law. He stated, “Who told you you can talk? Is it because I came down to talk to you? If you think that you take something… you are not the only one. Be careful. Stupid.”
