‘No Blackmail Can Stop Me’ — Wike Vows To Continue Demolition

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to intensify the demolition of illegal structures and revocation of improperly acquired land titles in Abuja.

According to Wike, no amount of blackmail will deter his efforts to enforce order.

Speaking on Thursday during the distribution of operational vehicles to security agencies at the FCTA Secretariat, Wike defended his actions which have drawn criticism from various quarters, including construction companies and the public.

This comes amid criticisms over the demolition exercises conducted by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

THE WHISTLER reported that a construction company — Paullosa Nigeria Limited — recently raised alarm over a demolition notice issued for its estate in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.

According to Vincent Enoghase, General Manager of the estate, the FCDA had demanded a payment of N10m for a Right of Occupancy, which the company paid but had yet to receive before being issued a quit notice.

Following that, social media influencer and critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, accused Wike of reallocating Paullosa Nigeria Limited’s land to Saravera Nigeria Limited and Kingsley Chinda, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.

However, Wike dismissed the claims, and labeled them as blackmail meant to distract him from ongoing efforts to reclaim government property.

The minister said, “We are not afraid of blackmail. In fact, you cannot be in this kind of position, and you cannot be blackmailed, particularly regarding this Abuja. There are so many land grabbers. Some of us have come to put our feet down. Let heaven fall. It is better that heaven comes down now so that we would not be fasting again to go to heaven.

“We would stop anybody who thinks they will take government land for whatever reason with formal approval. We would not look at your face. If you like, be a civil rights activist or a television personality. What is wrong is wrong; no amount of blackmail can stop us. People take government property without approval or documentation.

“And I have told people that there was a government yesterday, and the government did not take any step, but that does not mean that another government will come today and will not take steps.

“You are a squatter. If you like, go and carry everybody. What is wrong is wrong. You go back, you tell people to beg me, then you go on television to tell people that they came to take your land, and you said the land was allocated to a Rivers man. So what? Is a Rivers man not entitled to land in Abuja? You tell me who that person is who is entitled to have land in Abuja.”

Wike insisted that most of the demolished structures were built on government land illegally acquired by land grabbers. He maintained that such actions were necessary to address security risks posed by some of the structures.

The minister further warned that individuals who owed ground rents in the FCT must settle their debts or risk having their land titles revoked.

He said, “All those who have not paid, who thought we were joking, I am going to revoke all. I am going to do it. You think nothing will happen; something will happen. Go and check your records. If you have not paid, I will give you time to pay. But once the time expires, forget it. I will revoke it and allocate it to those who will pay.”

Wike, who distributed 50 vehicles to various security agencies to enhance safety in the FCT, especially during the upcoming festive season, said “Security is a priority function of any government,” while urging the agencies to use the vehicles effectively.

The vehicles were allocated as follows: 25 to the FCT Police Command, five each to the Department of State Services, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, and the Nigerian Army Guards Brigade, two each to the Abuja Naval Unit and Nigeria Air Force Camp, and six to FCT Secretaries, Departments, and Agencies.

‘No Blackmail Can Stop Me’ — Wike Vows To Continue Demolition is first published on The Whistler Newspaper