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Life in Gishiri, a community in the Katampe District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), seemed normal on March 11, 2025. Children went to school, traders opened their shops, and families went about their daily routines. But by noon, the roar of bulldozers shattered the calm. Within hours, homes were gone, businesses vanished, and hundreds of families were stranded.
The demolition, ordered by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, was meant to clear space for a road linking Maitama District and Gwarimpa, FCT. But residents insist they were not told it would happen that day.
Patricia Sunday, a 36-year-old mother of two, had lived in the community all her life. Now, she has nowhere to go. “I sent my children to my relatives, but I have nowhere to sleep. For four days, I haven’t had a place to bathe,” she said, holding back tears.
She and other residents now rely on buying sachet water, as the Waterboard that previously supplied the community stopped doing so after the demolition.
Ali Idris, a 40-year-old electronics seller, was at the market restocking when he heard the news. When he rushed to the scene, they had already closed his shop. Some of his goods were, according to Idris, stolen while others were crushed. Idris added that the shock and stress left him with a fever.
Idris said his neighbour, a cement dealer, was also unlucky. He said he had just stocked N14 million worth of goods before the bulldozers arrived. He told DUBAWA that everything was crushed, leaving the man helpless.
The demolition, supervised by Mr Wike himself, has since sparked outrage, both on the ground and online. Several claims have since emerged on Facebook, including claims that:
- The entire community of Gishiri was demolished.
- The people of the Gbagyi tribe were the main targets.
- This is not the first demolition in Gishiri.
- Residents refused compensation.
- The government claims it has provided resettlement options.
To separate fact from fiction, DUBAWA visited the community, spoke with residents, and reviewed official statements. Here’s what we found.
What does the law say about demolition?
In Nigeria, property demolitions are governed by the Land Use Act of 1978 and Section 44 of the Constitution. The Land Use Act vests all land within a state in the Governor.
Under Section 28(1) of the Act, a government can revoke a right of occupancy for overriding public interest, such as infrastructure development. Similarly, Section 44 of the Constitution allows land acquisition for public purposes, provided fair compensation is given.
Demolitions are also legally permitted for structures deemed illegal, unsafe, or violating building codes. However, the law mandates due process, including advance notification to occupants. If these legal steps are not followed, affected individuals can seek legal redress.
Claim 1: The entire community of Gishiri was demolished
Verdict: False
While residents told DUBAWA that about 400 houses, including the Chief’s Palace, were demolished, our observations showed that only the structures in the middle of the community (where the road is being constructed) were affected. Houses on the community’s left and right sides remain intact, with people still living and trading in them, as seen in the images below. This claim is false.
Claim 2: The people of the Gbagyi tribe were the main target
Verdict: Misleading
Although the Gishiri community is dominated by the Gbagyi people, the ancestral inhabitants of the FCT, the demolished homes and businesses also belonged to Igbos, Yorubas, and Hausas living in the area. DUBAWA spoke to several affected residents, including Ali Idris, who confirmed this. The claim is, therefore, misleading.
Claim 3: This is not the first demolition in Gishiri
Verdict: True
In July 2023, Vanguard and Daily Post newspapers reported a demolition incident from the same community. However, this was not connected to any road project, as it is in this case. Samson Atureta, the District Monitor, Katampe and Mabushi District, FCTA, who led the demolition, said, “The action was part of continued efforts to reclaim lands developed by illegal occupants.” This claim is true.
Claims 4 and 5: Gishiri residents refused compensation and resettlement
Verdict: Partly True
Speaking on the demolition, Mr Wike claimed that money for compensation and a relocation site had been provided. However, he said that the affected residents refused to accept the compensation. Punch reported this, as seen here.
On the contrary, the residents of Gishiri said the FCT Minister’s claim did not reflect the whole story. They noted that conversations about compensation had been ongoing for two months. However, they had not concluded because the money offered was little.
For instance, Ms Sunday, who owned a room, was offered N80,000. She said the money could only buy eight bags of cement.
“In this economy? What about blocks, sand, iron, wood, and other building materials?” she questioned.
Others with flats were offered N1.5 million, which is insufficient to build a house in the present economic challenges. Abache Shakwopagu, an indigene of the community, said the highest paid would receive “N11 million for a compound up to 100 by 100 square meters.”
When DUBAWA visited the community on March 14, 2025, residents said that no affected member had been relocated yet and no one had received compensation.
However, DUBAWA saw some community members gathered at the Community Primary School for data capturing. Several of them were filling out application forms for Statutory Rights of Occupancy. This was being supervised by community leaders and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), who said this would determine the next step of land allocation.
Mr Shakwopagu said the FCDA plans to reintegrate them within the same community. But he fears the available lands are swampy and would require extensive sand-filling before buildings can be erected in those areas.
Conclusion
Following DUBAWA’s visit to the Gishiri community, some of the claims about the Gishiri demolitions were true, while others were false and misleading.
