The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) demolished a shantytown known as Unguwan Yan Lambu in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, on Wednesday, displacing over 1,000 residents. The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) under the FCTA carried out the demolition exercise, citing the illegality of the structures and their negative impact on the city’s aesthetics.
According to AMMC Coordinator Felix Obuah, the demolition is part of an ongoing effort to remove unauthorized structures within Abuja’s city center. The shanties, erected over 27 years ago, have reportedly been demolished before, only to be rebuilt by the occupants.
Obuah further claimed the area had become a haven for criminal activity. “We can’t allow this again,” he said. “Our aim is to beautify the city and make Abuja a city we will all be proud of.”
The community leader, Malam Mohammed Musa, acknowledged receiving a demolition notice and expressed gratitude to the government for allowing them to stay for so long. However, Musa emphasized that around 1,000 people, including families with children and many dry-season farmers, had resided there for nearly three decades.
The FCTA has reportedly established a task force to prevent the area’s re-occupation and pledged to relocate the displaced residents to a government-approved permanent location. The details of this relocation plan remain unclear.
This demolition raises questions about balancing urban development with the needs of low-income residents. While the FCTA seeks to improve the city’s aesthetics and address security concerns, the immediate displacement of over 1,000 people necessitates a well-defined resettlement plan to minimize hardship.
