Indigenes of Galadimawa village in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday alleged that a private property developer, Mesotho Nigeria Ltd., is making plans to eject them from their community.
Addressing journalists, the leader of the concerned indigenes in Galadimawa, Solomon Donaye, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that the company and the village head, Chief Tanko Zhnimko, had approached some of them to come for compensation.
“We have refused to be compensated, owing to the fact the government has agreed to properly resettle and compensate us,” Donaye said.
He however lamented that the village head and the developer were issuing threats, causing “unprecedented” anxiety among indigenes and residents in the community.
“The developer has approached me on several occasions, threatening that I should either collect my compensation or face forceful eviction,” he said.
“Some helpless individuals have been forced to collect meagre amounts as compensation for their homes or face demolition of their property.”
Dauda Bako, another indigene, said that the developer had approached him with some money to persuade him to collect his share of compensation and thereafter vacate the place.
Bako said that following his refusal, the developer threatened that he would go ahead to commence development on the land.
He insisted that the government had settled for the resettlement of the indigenes.
“If we are compensated today and we are not resettled, where are we going to live? I think it is not right for the developer to begin the development of their plots now until we are dully resettled.”
Zhnimko, the village head of Galadimawa, however said he was not aware of any move by any developer to compensate members of the community.
He said that there was a court order restraining any action on the village, adding that the developer was not above the law.
The Managing Director of Mesotho Nigeria Ltd., Joseph Damara, denied intimidating any resident in the area.
He confirmed that he had paid compensation to 18 indigenes, giving N200,000 for each room.
“The indigenes are even rushing to collect the compensation due to the instruction by President Goodluck Jonathan for the FCT minister to resettle all villages along the airport road,” Damara said.
“I have obtained plot number 314 since 2005. The village in question has three plots, the other two are fully developed, but I have been waiting to get at least five hectares so that I can mobilise to site.
“I will commence work on the plot as soon as I finish the compensation and I have asked those I have issued with cheques to remove their roofs. I am a Christian and equally a politician. There is no way I will intimidate anybody. I am persuasive in my endeavours because of my political aspirations. So, I do not even know the person who said I have intimidated him.”
Damara displayed a list of the beneficiaries who had signed and collected money, adding that the portion he was about to develop was earlier demolished by the El-Rufai administration.
He assured that he would not demolish the entire village at once, saying that he would start development in five out of the 15 hectares.
It will be recalled that an Abuja High Court sitting in Kubwa, on March 15 restrained the FCDA from taking any action upon Galadimawa community in the name of development, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
