Abuja Demolitions Displace Thousands, Spark Protests

|By Adejumo Adekunle –

Thousands of Abuja residents are facing displacement as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration intensifies large-scale demolitions across low-income communities. On Friday, activists, including Martin Vincent Otse (also known as VeryDarkman) and Barrister Deji Adeyanju, led a protest at the Ruga settlement near Abuja’s city gate. Protesters held signs reading “Stop Demolition,” “Wike Must Go,” and “Stop Demolishing Poor People’s Houses.”

The demolitions have left over 15,000 people in Ruga without homes, with reports of authorities setting fire to properties post-demolition. Many of these residents have lived in these communities for decades and are calling on President Bola Tinubu to halt further displacement and protect their rights.

Adeyanju expressed outrage over what he described as a “brazen seizure of land from the poor,” arguing that displacing low-income families for the benefit of wealthier interests will only heighten insecurity. “Poor people’s land belongs to them,” he said, urging the government to avoid targeting vulnerable communities. He emphasized that demolitions should serve public interest, not private gain, stating, “There’s no overriding public interest here.”

VeryDarkman echoed Adeyanju’s concerns, warning that the forced evictions could lead to increased crime and hardship, as displaced residents face homelessness amidst a harsh economic climate.