Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has directed the director in the Department of Development Control to ensure that Nuwalege community on Airport Road in Abuja gives way for the presidential fleet.
The minister’s directive followed a request by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Speaking through the director, Mukhtar Galadima, during a community and citizen engagement yesterday in Abuja, Wike said it had become imperative that the community give way for the runway.
Our source stated that Mukhtar Galadima, said: “About a month ago, the Nigerian Air Force authority wrote to the FCT, Minister on their needs and desire to remove this village because it is part of the presidential fleet plots.
“The minister, in his wisdom, told them that it is the responsibility of the FCT Administration so, they should allow the FCT Administration (FCTA) to handle it.
The FCT minister through his director M. Mukhtar Galadima stressed that as part of FCTA responsibility, they have to do what you call a community and citizens engagement. “This is why we are here today to discuss with the community and to tell them about our intention because it will be unfair to just bring the machines here and start removing their houses.
“So, we visited the chiefs at his palace to meet with him and we told him our reason for coming to this place today.” the Director said.
Galadima hinted that between 150 and 200 houses with additional commercial stores that are attached to the houses would be removed for the presidential fleet.
On the issue of compensating the minister said: “We will discuss with the Air Force because, obviously, a discussion behind the scene indicates that some forms of compensation were paid. But we have to be certain that this compensation was actually paid, and who was the compensation paid to.
“We are going to conduct further investigation between the FCT Administration, that’s the Department of Resettlement and Compensation, as well as the Nigerian Air Force and find out if compensation has been paid: whom was it paid to and when was the payment made?”
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