The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has urged government authorities to halt the demolition and conversion of sacred indigenous sites in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) into luxury estates and commercial centres.

The organisation warned that the trend is displacing original custodians and erasing centuries-old heritage.

Speaking during a grand cultural rally in Abuja to mark the 2025 United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, CHRICED Executive Director, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said that government authorities and private developers have replaced sacred indigenous sites, including burial grounds and historical landmarks, with luxury estates and commercial centres.

He warned that the continued displacement of these communities infringes on their rights and threatens their cultural heritage.

He called on the Federal Government to urgently reclaim lands in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and restore them to their original indigenous owners.

His words: “This rally is an act of resistance. It is a reclamation of space—physical, political, and cultural. It is a demand for justice. We call on the Nigerian government, development partners, and civil society to act with urgency and integrity. We demand land restitution and fair compensation for displaced communities, political inclusion through affirmative representation and economic empowerment through targeted investments, education, and job creation.”

Coordinator of the coalition of FCT Indigenous Associations, Comrade Shittu Shidawa, while backing Zikirullahi’s assertion, demanded political recognition, legal protections, and restoration of ancestral land rights.

He described the struggle as a fundamental matter of identity and survival, stating that, unlike other regions, the FCT indigenous communities seek recognition as Nigerians, legal guarantees, and the return of their lands.

Shidawa shared personal accounts of exclusion, including how he was allegedly denied proper recognition on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) portal in 2004, which he claimed limited career opportunities for many indigenous youths in fields like engineering and medicine.

Referring to the 1999 Constitution, Shidawa argued that the Federal Government should implement a framework allowing indigenous communities authority over the Federal Capital Sector (FCS) while maintaining the Federal Capital City (FCC) as a separate entity.

He condemned ongoing displacement, saying, “Today, Nigerians are pushing fellow Nigerians out of their ancestral land. This is unacceptable.”

Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima, commended CHRICED and indigenous organisations for their advocacy.

He emphasised that cultural recognition must accompany efforts to achieve political and economic empowerment.

“As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, land restitution, political inclusion, and economic empowerment must be key priorities for all stakeholders,” Shettima said.