•Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike
The natives of Kpaduma community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to disregard statements claiming that the community members have been compensated and relocated by the previous administrations.
The natives called on the FCT minister to integrate them into the Abuja master plan as a compensation for their sufferings over the years, reports Daily Trust.
They pleaded with the minister not to remove them from their ancestral land in the name of relocation.
At a press conference in Kpaduma community yesterday, the spokesperson, Bala Iyah, emphasised the community’s longstanding presence and connection to their homes.
The natives expressed concern over Wike’s statement on recent demolitions in Gishiri, where he alleged that residents of Kpaduma community had been compensated two decades ago.
He said, “First and foremost, we want to state that the honourable minister is one of us, as he lives among us here in the Kpaduma community, and we are happy and proud to be his host community.
“However, the first point we want to react to is the statement made by the minister when he mentioned that our community had been compensated about 20 years ago. We want to clarify that we have never been compensated or relocated by any administration.”
Iyah acknowledged that while Wike had set up a committee to address their issues, he might not have been accurately informed about the compensation history.
