Over 200 families, displaced from their long-time homes, appeal for compensation to restart their lives.
President Bola Tinubu-led government's demolition for Presidential Air Fleet expansion has left Nuwalege residents in crisis.
Over 200 families, displaced from their long-time homes, appeal for compensation to restart their lives.
Nuwalege is a rural community situated along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road in Abuja.
The affected residents, who had called Nuwalege home for years, are now appealing to the government for compensation.
They argue that the sudden displacement has left them in dire straits, with many struggling to find alternative housing and rebuild their lives.
The PUNCH reports that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) carried out a demolition at the request of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Following the demolition, displaced residents sought shelter in nearby communities, including Zamani, Sauka, Giri, Iddo, and Gwagwalada.
Preparations for the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) project are underway, with Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel deployed to the site.
However, affected Nuwalege families await compensation from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), NAF, and Ministry of Aviation.
A Punch correspondent was denied access to Nuwalege on Wednesday by heavily armed Air Force guards.
In December, FCT Development Control Director Muktar Galadima disclosed the Air Force's plans to relocate Nuwalege residents, but compensation status remained unclear.
After January's demolition, Galadima claimed residents received a two-month notice and followed relocation policy. However, residents disputed this, stating they received no prior notification or compensation.
Residents expressed shock and disappointment over the sudden demolition, contrary to initial two-year notices. They shared stories of lost homes, ancestral burial sites, and family separations. Authorities directed compensation inquiries to the Ministry of Defence or FCTA.
NAF spokesperson AVM Edward Gabkwet directed victims to the Ministry of Defence or the FCTA for compensation matters, noting that NAF does not provide compensation for lands allocated to it by the Federal Government.
Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, Temitope Ajayi, referred inquiries to the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. Keyamo did not address compensation but mentioned a report on compensation for the Jiwa community.
The Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Henshaw Ogubike, did not respond to calls or messages. The FCT Director of Development Control, Galadima, and the FCT Director of Resettlement and Compensation, Nasiru Sulaiman, could not be reached for comment on the compensation issue.