Senator wants informal settlements around Abuja airport demolished

The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, on Wednesday called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to demolish informal settlements near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and relocate the inhabitants.

Mr Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial District, made the call during the plenary while contributing to the debate on the 2025 statutory budget of the FCT.

The senator said some of the structures around the airport do not project a positive image of Nigeria to visitors flying into the capital, describing the communities as an eyesore.

“I want the FCT minister to extend the infrastructural development of the FCT within the surroundings of the Abuja airport. If you’re descending into Abuja airport, the inhabitants, the type of infrastructure within the environs, …, does not represent the good image of this country, and I think that the FCT minister should capture it in their next budget.”

Several informal settlements are located along the Abuja airport road. The residents of such communities include locals who consider them their ancestral home as well as low-income earners unable to afford the exorbitant rent in many parts of the Nigerian capital.

Such communities are often marked by inadequate infrastructure and some are classified as unauthorised by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

In recent years, the FCTA has carried out demolition exercises in these areas as part of efforts to enforce the Abuja Master Plan.

The Debate

Responding, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, questioned the rationale behind Mr Nwebonyi’s call, asking for clarification on the specific location being referenced.

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“Senator Nwebonyi, which part of the airport? If you’re coming from the airport, the first place you see on the right is the presidential wing, thereafter you will come across a very beautiful flyover, you’ll now descend towards the road that comes to the airport when you get to the airport road, you’ll see road completed with streetlights particularly in the night, very beautiful,” Mr Akpabio asked.

In response, Mr Nwebonyi said he was referring to “shanties at the back of the Abuja airport.”

The senate president then told the senator that those communities are people’s homes and that the owners of the shanties built what they could afford.

“When you’re inside the plane? That is somebody’s village. The owners of those houses, that’s what they can afford. Are you saying we should go to those places and evacuate them so that when your plane is coming, you’ll see high rises? You’re talking about when you look from the window, you want to see beautiful Chinese infrastructure but that place belongs to people,” Mr Akpabio said.

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Despite the senate president’s comments, Mr Nwebonyi insisted that the area lies within the capital and should, therefore, be developed.

Afterwards, Mr Akpabio put Mr Nwebonyi’s proposal to a vote, and the majority of the senators opposed it through a voice vote.

Mr Akpabio subsequently ruled Mr Nwebonyi out of order.

Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), a former FCT minister, also contributed to the discussion, clarifying that the lands in question have already been allocated for formal development.

“He’s referring to the illegal settlement. The land has already been allocated to some people but development has not reached there. When development reaches there, the people will be pushed out,” he said.