Group criticises Wike’s land revocation focus, laments rising insecurity in FCT

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, over his heavy focus on land revocation and allocations to the detriment of other essential services and developmental priorities in Abuja.

The rights group through its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko accused the minister of neglecting critical sectors such as public transportation, affordable housing, education, and security, which directly impact the lives of residents.

In a statement issued on Sunday, HURIWA decried the hyper-concentration of governance in the FCT on land matters, stating that the overemphasis on land revocations has sidelined urgent issues requiring attention.

The association urged Wike to shift his focus to addressing Abuja’s pressing socio-economic challenges, including unemployment, crime, and the dire state of public infrastructure.

“Governing the FCT should not be reduced to a fixation on land revocations, reallocations, and demolitions.

“Minister Wike must realise that Abuja residents are in dire need of good governance, not a series of headline-grabbing actions on land matters.

“The FCT is grappling with severe deficits in public transportation, affordable housing, and the deplorable state of public schools from primary to secondary levels, particularly in rural areas.

These issues demand immediate and sustained attention,” it said.

The group also highlighted the growing security challenges in the FCT, including rising cases of kidnappings, “one chance” robberies, and other criminal activities in urban and suburban areas.

It called on the minister to prioritise restoring security in flashpoints and making Abuja safe for residents and investors.

HURIWA emphasised that addressing these challenges would attract genuine investors to the productive sector, creating job opportunities for the hundreds of thousands of unemployed youths in the FCT.

“Abuja youths are jobless, hopeless, and increasingly disillusioned. The minister must take deliberate steps to create an environment that fosters job creation and economic growth,” the association noted.