The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Monday criticised the acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Yunana Dauda, for an alleged attempt to defraud victims of the demolition at Gishiri village.
It should be recalled that about 455 people, both indigenes and non-indigenes, who were affected by the ongoing road construction, had their homes demolished last week.
The Minister, addressing some key stakeholders and a delegation of Gishiri community leaders, expressed shock over the alleged shady deals being promoted by the Executive Secretary in the compensation of the victims.
Wike, who stated that he had approved the sum of ₦1.3 billion for the compensation of the victims, became enraged upon hearing that the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the Department of Compensation and Relocation, was offering the victims far less than the approved amount.
The Minister expressed his annoyance, stating that the Executive Secretary, who is an indigene of Abuja, had betrayed the trust reposed in him by his people and the government.
The Minister warned him to immediately retrace his steps and pay the victims the approved amount or face dismissal.
Trouble began for the embattled Executive Secretary when the youth leader of the Gishiri community, Umaru Godwin, accused him of altering the Minister’s instructions regarding their relocation.
Godwin alleged that the Executive Secretary, without adhering to the Minister’s directives, had proposed a waterlogged environment where the victims of the demolition would be unable to construct any structures.
Further accusations arose when another community member, Princess Juliet Jonah, claimed that the victims were protesting because only ₦72,000 per building was being offered as compensation.
