The senate has asked Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), to halt the demolitions in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The decision of the upper legislative chamber was sequel to a motion sponsored by Ireti Kingibe, senator representing FCT.
Wike has been criticised for embarking on widespread demolition of houses in Abuja.
A construction company, Paullosa Nigeria Limited, had recently raised the alarm over a demolition notice issued by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to demolish its estate in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.
The General Manager of the Estate, Mr Vincent Enoghase, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed the FCDA had demanded N10 million, for a Right of Occupancy, which it had paid but was yet to get receive before the issuance of the quit notice.
In a viral video on Wednesday, social media commentator, Vincent Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, alleged that the FCT Minister, had revoked the land titles to the Estate, and issued the same to a Saravera Nigeria Limited, and the Minority Leader and member of the House of Representatives representing Obio/Akpor Constituency, Kingsley Chinda.
VeryDarkMan called on security agencies to intervene, noting that the original owner of the land was the first cadet of the Nigerian Army who passed on four years ago.
However, aruging at the plenary on Thursday, SKingibe, said the demolitions were causing untold hardship to victims.
She pleaded with the Senate to intervene and halt further demolition of structures, including estates already marked.
Parts of Kingibe’s motion read: “Further concerned that demolition in FCT is no longer in line with due process and that a cross section of individuals have suffered untold hardship occasioned by massive demolitions which has led to a loss of properties worth billions of naira.
“Note that the Federal Capital Administration, on the instruction of the Honorable Minister of Federal Capital Territory, embarked on massive demolition of structures within the Federal Capital Territory.
“Also note that the demolition, according to the FCT authority, was informed by illegal structures and non-development of allocated plots of land by the FCT administration.
“Concerned that in recent time, the demolition exercise in the FCT is no longer based on reasons adduced by the FCT administration that necessitated the demolition. Further concerned that the current demolition in the FCT is not in line with due process of court orders to demolish.
“Also concerned that at the moment, an estate by name Merss Paulosa, for which late Colonel Paul Osang Kwanwa of Bebo, is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. And from reliable information, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with the requisite title document.
“And further concerned that the owner of this estate was a patriotic Nigerian who served the nation meritoriously and one of the first intakes of the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, with registration number 001.”
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) seconded the motion, saying the exercise should be stopped pending the outcome of Senate investigation into the matter.
However, the senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, objected to the motion and urged colleagues not to stop the minister from carrying out his statutory functions.
He suggested investigation into the demolitions carried out so far.
In his remarks, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, told the senator to drop sentiments and be patriotic, stating that damage cannot be done first only to be investigated later.
Akpabio expressed concern that the government may face court action by those who were aggrieved by the demolition.
He subsequently ruled that the ongoing demolition should be halted.
An ad-hoc committee headed by Senator Jibrin Barau was constituted to investigate the demolitions.
