The Sapeyi of Garki Chiefdom in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), HRH Alhaji Usman Ngakupi, has stated that officials of the FCT Department of Development Control did not properly brief the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, before embarking on the demolition of houses belonging to natives of the Kuchibedna community.
Our correspondent recalls that officials of the Department of Development Control demolished the homes of indigenous people in Kuchibedna on November 24, 2025. The action triggered widespread condemnation, particularly among the natives and the chairman of AMAC, Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.
Alhaji Ngakupi, represented by his Palace Secretary, Mr. Lazarus Haruna, made the remarks while addressing newsmen during a visit to the community for a church service on Sunday.
The monarch said while he did not wish to preempt the details of the land dispute--which he noted is currently pending before the courts, the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), and the office of the FCT Minister--it is a known fact that Kuchibedna has existed for centuries, long before the creation of the FCT.
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He said, "Based on the documents and information at my disposal, the indigenous people of Kuchibedna have not been compensated in any form. Only the FCT Administration has the authority to compensate them, and it has not done so."
He appealed to those providing information to the FCT Administration to act with "humanity" and treat the natives fairly.
"We appeal to the authorities and the judiciary, where this matter is pending, to look into this. Laws are made for human beings, not human beings for the laws. This situation should be looked at judiciously and with a human face," he added.
The monarch further expressed confidence in the Minister, saying: "I know Minister Nyesom Wike; he has stated several times that he is not interested in displacing anyone from their community unless it is for a project of public interest. This is not a public interest project; it is a business venture, and I see no reason why this vulnerable community should be displaced."
Also speaking, an FCT stakeholder, Ishaku Tanko Yamawo, expressed concern that the government has yet to allocate alternative land to the displaced natives since their ancestral homes were destroyed. He lamented that many residents, including the elderly, have been sleeping in open spaces without shelter.
"On January 1, 2026, while many of us were celebrating the New Year with family, we were saddened to see videos on social media showing the people of Kuchibedna spending their Christmas and New Year under trees, without homes or food," Yamawo said.
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He expressed hope that the government would eventually come to the aid of the victims, noting that he joined the traditional ruler and other stakeholders to seek divine intervention.
Yamawo urged the FCT Administration to set up a committee to verify whether any compensation was actually paid to the natives before the demolition took place.
He added, "These people have no other homes. That is why you still see them living in the open space since their ancestral houses were demolished."
