FCTA to relocate Nuwalege community over Presidential fleet dev’t

• Over 200 buildings to be affected

By Stanley Onyekwere

In order to ensure a hitch free recovery and development of the planned expansion of presidential fleet plot, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced process to relocate Nuwalege Community,  along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, in Abuja.

To this effect, FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has directed the Director, Department of Development Control (DDC), to engage the leaders of the said community where no fewer than  200 houses will be affected.

Speaking during a community and citizen engagement yesterday, DDC Director, Tpl Mukhtar Galadima said the measure was pursuant to the request from the Nigerian Air Force, about a month ago.

Galadinma said: “About a month ago, the authority of the Nigerian Air Force wrote to the honourable minister on their needs and desire to relocate this village, because it is part of the presidential fleet plots.

“So, the minister in his wisdom requested them to allow the FCT administration to handle it, because it’s the responsibility of FCT administration. The Nigerian Air Force approached the Department of Development Control on their desire.

“ We have to do a community and citizens’ engagement, which is why we are here today to discuss with the community and to tell them of our intention, because it will be unfair to just bring the machine here and start removing their houses.

“So, we visited the chief at his palace to meet him and we told him our reason for coming to this place.”

Galadima also hinted that about  150 to 200 houses with  commercial stores that are attached to them will be affected by the development.

While fielding questions from newsmen on the issue of compensating the would-be affected natives, the Director said: “We will discuss with the Air Force, because obviously discussion behind the scene indicates that some forms of compensation were paid.

“But, we have to be certain that this compensation actually were paid, and also those given this compensation.

“We are going to conduct further investigation by engaging   the FCT Department of Resettlement and Compensation as well as the Nigerian Air Force, and find out if compensation has been paid, to who and when?

“And then, we will discuss with our colleagues at  the Department of Resettlement and Compensation whether at any point in time, there was any compensation that ascertained their claims as regards to the number of structures and people that are going to be affected by this expansion project.”

He continued: “There are certain things that we have to look into with consideration like the security, because obviously, this part of some of this settlements is where you have some of these people of the underworld trying to disguise and hide.

“And looking at this, the Air Force formation, which is the presidential fleet, is too close, for this thing to co-habit. So we will see if there is that urgent desire to remove part of this community, we will do it.

“So, we have to do some community engagement. It is not the entire community because we have gone around and we have seen the areas affected by the presidential fleet plot and the areas that are outside that plot.

“At least we have given him the respect as a high class person. We have discussed and informed him why we are here and we are coming back again for a wider consultation, involving the Nigerian Air Force, our colleagues, and then the community heads. So I think we have done the needful by engaging them adequately.”