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Amnesty International, a global human rights advocacy organisation, has berated the Nigerian government over the ‘display of utter disdain against the people of the country by embarking on forced eviction in Abuja’.
The organisation said that rather than solve existing problems in the country, the Nigerian government through the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration is creating more problems in Abuja by embarking on forced evictions of residents without any consultation, adequate notice, compensation or alternative housing scheme.
Amnesty International said the use of a violent task force team codenamed ‘Operation Sweep’ by the FCTA to forcefully evict residents of Abuja amounts to flagrant violation of the rule of law.
The global human rights organisation demanded an ‘immediate end to the government’s utter disdain against the people, an end to the government’s ruthless attacks on the poor citizens and an end to attempts to link poverty with crimes’.
Amnesty International said, “In flagrant violation of the rule of law, the FCT administration has been carrying out forced evictions without any consultation, adequate notice, compensation or alternative housing being offered to those affected. This government’s utter disdain for the people must end.
“FCT’s violent task team named ‘Operation Sweep’ must end its ruthless attacks on the poor and also end attempts to shamelessly link poverty with crimes.
“Resorting to forced evictions only creates more problems – and homelessness – in a city with a shocking housing crisis.”
SaharaReporters had reported that some residents of the FCT on November 8 protested against the alleged seizure of land from poor people by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The aggrieved residents alongside human rights activists berated the FCT administration under Wike’s leadership for “grabbing land in communities dominated by poor people”.
Nigeria’s FCT Residents Slam Wike For ‘Grabbing Poor People’s Land For Rich Cronies’ During Abuja Protest, Demand Minister’s Removal
A lawyer and human rights activist, who was among the protesters, Mr Deji Adeyanju, urged President Bola Tinubu to stop the FCT minister from implementing wicked policies that keep displacing hundreds of residents from their homes.
Also, a social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan condemned the oppression of poor FCT residents whose land has been taken by Wike’s administration.
For some weeks now, Wike’s has been demolishing houses in the Lugbe area of Abuja. Meanwhile, the victims of the demolition exercise have accused Wike’s administration of not giving them any prior notice.
In a video seen by SaharaReporters, some of the victims were seen lamenting the injustice done to them by the minister.
