The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, on
Wednesday called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom
Wike, to demolish informal settlements near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport in Abuja and relocate the inhabitants.
Mr Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial
District, made the call during the plenary while contributing to the debate on
the 2025 statutory budget of the FCT.
The senator said some of the structures around the airport
do not project a positive image of Nigeria to visitors flying into the capital,
describing the communities as an eyesore.
“I want the FCT minister to extend the infrastructural
development of the FCT within the surroundings of the Abuja airport. If you’re
descending into Abuja airport, the inhabitants, the type of infrastructure
within the environs, …, does not represent the good image of this country, and
I think that the FCT minister should capture it in their next budget.”
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, has suggested to the parliament that villagers near the Abuja airport should be relocated, stating that he does not like seeing old houses when landing there, and that affects the image of the country.ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ pic.twitter.com/K4MK1VhFzQ
— People of Ebonyi (@PeopleofEbonyi) May 20, 2025
Several informal settlements are located along the Abuja
airport road. The residents of such communities include locals who consider
them their ancestral home as well as low-income earners unable to afford the
exorbitant rent in many parts of the Nigerian capital.
Such communities are often marked by inadequate
infrastructure and some are classified as unauthorised by the Federal Capital
Territory Administration (FCTA).
In recent years, the FCTA has carried out demolition
exercises in these areas as part of efforts to enforce the Abuja Master Plan.
The Debate
Responding, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio,
questioned the rationale behind Mr Nwebonyi’s call, asking for clarification on
the specific location being referenced.
“Senator Nwebonyi, which part of the airport? If you’re
coming from the airport, the first place you see on the right is the
presidential wing, thereafter you will come across a very beautiful flyover,
you’ll now descend towards the road that comes to the airport when you get to
the airport road, you’ll see road completed with streetlights particularly in
the night, very beautiful,” Mr Akpabio asked.
In response, Mr Nwebonyi said he was referring to “shanties
at the back of the Abuja airport.”
The senate president then told the senator that those
communities are people’s homes and that the owners of the shanties built what
they could afford.
“When you’re inside the plane? That is somebody’s village.
The owners of those houses, that’s what they can afford. Are you saying we
should go to those places and evacuate them so that when your plane is coming,
you’ll see high rises? You’re talking about when you look from the window, you
want to see beautiful Chinese infrastructure but that place belongs to people,”
Mr Akpabio said.
Despite the senate president’s comments, Mr Nwebonyi
insisted that the area lies within the capital and should, therefore, be
developed.
Afterwards, Mr Akpabio put Mr Nwebonyi’s proposal to a vote,
and the majority of the senators opposed it through a voice vote.
Mr Akpabio subsequently ruled Mr Nwebonyi out of order.
Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), a former FCT minister, also
contributed to the discussion, clarifying that the lands in question have
already been allocated for formal development.
“He’s referring to the illegal settlement. The land has
already been allocated to some people but development has not reached there.
When development reaches there, the people will be pushed out,” he said.
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