Emperor Wike of Gishiri and His Conquered Lords

One morning, under the last administration, we woke up to the wailing and gnashing of teeth of our brethren in the Akpajenya community. The then Minister of the FCT had stormed in under the cover of darkness and demolished their homes around 3 AM. For weeks, I could not sleep soundly, and even now, those haunting images flash through my mind. Yesterday, emboldened Akpajenya and other precedents, Hon. Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the FCT, rode in majestically to oversee yet another demolition, this time in Gishiri village. His justification? The so-called removal of “structures obstructing the construction of Arterial Road N16.”

What might seem like a patriotic execution of his ministerial duty carries a soul-wrenching backstory dating back five decades. That story, dear friends and readers, is what I must share with you this morning.

Shortly after the creation of the new federal capital in 1976, government officials waged an unfair war against the indigenous people of the FCT. Initially, they promised to evacuate and compensate all affected communities. But when the financial burden became too high, they backtracked, allowing those who wished to stay to remain but with a devastating caveat: they would not enjoy indigeneship rights. Instead, the government decreed that all Nigerians in the FCT would have equal residency rights. For those who are unaware, this is why official government communications refer to the indigenous people as mere “residents” or “squatter settlers.” The FCTA’s press release after the Gishiri demolition reflected this same dehumanizing language.

Time and time again, the government has violated its own protocols for resettlement and compensation. Without warning, or, in some cases, in the middle of ongoing negotiations, they bring in bulldozers, flanked armed security personnel, to force families off their ancestral land. The injustice is gut-wrenching, but today, let us focus on Wike’s beloved Gishiri.

According to the FCTA, the indigenous people of Gishiri were given ample time to agree and prepare to leave. Yet, they refused to move. Wike himself lamented that despite visiting the community four times to discuss the issue, they continued to resist. What he failed to mention, however, is that the community rejected the financial compensation as woefully inadequate and decried the government’s failure to provide a suitable relocation site. Instead of the promised “befitting resettlement,” they were shown a swamp. The meager sums of ₦70,000 and ₦150,000 offered to displaced homeowners were an insult. And so, in classic government fashion, Wike invoked the all-powerful rhetoric of “public interest,” declaring, “No government will fold its arms and allow people to sabotage a project for the interest of the public.”

According to him, the entire engagement with the community lasted two months, after which they were given just one week to vacate. Three months, barely enough time to process the loss of a home, was deemed sufficient to uproot families whose entire lives and histories were tied to that land. Coming from the Niger Delta, a region that has suffered its own long history of exploitation and marginalization, Wike should understand better. But his priority seems to be the speed of construction and the applause of the Presidency, not justice for fellow Nigerians.

The FCTA has a history of broken promises. My own community, Maitama and its district, was promised financial compensation, infrastructure, and free education when we were forcibly removed. I was just seven months old then. Today, I am a father to a nine-month-old child, yet those promises remain unfulfilled – despite court orders and a National Assembly resolution in our favor. This is why no indigenous community trusts the government’s word anymore.

Now, let us examine global best practices for resettling indigenous peoples and contrast them with the injustices inflicted upon my people the FCT administration.

International conventions such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) outline clear guidelines for resettlement. The first principle is Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) – meaning authorities must genuinely consult affected communities and provide adequate information to allow them to make informed decisions. By this standard, Wike has already failed. The second principle is the preservation of indigenous ways of life, identity, and language. Authorities should support cultural practices, uphold traditions, and ensure that indigenous languages are preserved amid urbanization. Thirdly, economic empowerment and social inclusion must be guaranteed. Governments must provide access to land, natural resources, schools, and markets to sustain traditional livelihoods. Finally, a robust legal framework should be in place to prevent future displacement and violations.

Since the 1970s, the Nigerian government has ignored all these principles. Instead, successive administrations have pushed the false narrative that the FCT is a “No Man’s Land,” echoing General Murtala’s erroneous claim that Abuja was virgin territory. This lie has been used to justify our exclusion from policy-making, development initiatives, and even basic human rights. Our people have suffered forced evictions without adequate compensation, destroying social structures that have existed for centuries. Wealthy landowners became paupers overnight, forced to the city’s outskirts with no water, no security, and no healthcare.

Hon. Wike has scheduled a media chat today, and I have no doubt he will seize the opportunity to double down on his position. But one thing is painfully clear: our leaders have failed us. Whether out of cowardice or self-preservation, they have abandoned the people of Gishiri. And the people of Maitama. And the people of Akpajenya. The blood that was spilled yesterday is on their hands and their conscience. For weeks, Gishiri residents cried out for help. They approached every indigenous government official they could find. Yet nothing was done. Not a single representative – from local government to the federal level – lifted a finger to intervene.

It is election season and the silence of the political class is loud. They fear Wike’s wrath, they don’t want to do anything that will make Wike threaten their ambition like he did to Senator Ireti and Hon. Maikalangu. This is what happens when elected politicians throw themselves on the ground and grovel before a minister. That minister, in turn, begins to believe he is infallible – like a god – and acts accordingly.

While we await Wike’s media chat, let us prepare ourselves. It is time to fight for our people because our so-called leaders are more interested in securing votes than in preserving our dignity. We must stand in defense of Gishiri, just as we would wish others to stand for us when our communities are next. And above all, we must resist this injustice and keep the conversation alive.

It is yet another sad day in the FCT. This chapter of our history shall be known as Emperor Wike and His Conquered Lords. Pathetic!

Tee Jay Dan,
Maitama, Abuja.