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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have told the Federal Government to stop the demolition and conversion of sacred indigenous sites, like graveyards shrines and historical monuments to luxury estates and commercial centres.
Speaking on behalf of the indigenes during a grand cultural rally in Abuja to mark the 2025 United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Ibrahim Zikirullahi, argued that the trend was displacing original custodians and erasing centuries-old heritage.
Zikirullahi said that the government and the private developers had replaced sacred indigenous sites, including burial grounds and historical landmarks, with luxury estates and commercial centres.
He warned that the continued displacement of these communities infringes on their rights and threatens their cultural heritage.
He called on the Federal Government to reclaim lands in the FCT and restore them to their original indigenous owners.
He said: “This rally is an act of resistance. It is a reclamation of space, physical, political and cultural. It is a demand for justice. We call on the Nigerian government, development partners and civil society to act with urgency and integrity.
“We demand land restitution and fair compensation for displaced communities, political inclusion through affirmative representation and economic empowerment through targeted investments, education and job creation.”
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Also, Coordinator of the coalition of FCT Indigenous Associations, Shittu Shidawa, while backing Zikirullahi’s assertion, demanded political recognition, legal protections and restoration of ancestral land rights.
He described the struggle as a fundamental matter of identity and survival, stating that unlike other regions, the FCT indigenous communities seek recognition as Nigerians, legal guarantees and the return of their lands.
Shidawa shared personal accounts of exclusion, including how he was allegedly denied proper recognition on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) portal in 2004, which he claimed limited career opportunities for many indigenous youths in fields like engineering and medicine.
Referring to the 1999 Constitution, Shidawa argued that the Federal Government should implement a framework allowing indigenous communities authority over the Federal Capital Sector (FCS) while maintaining the Federal Capital City (FCC) as a separate entity.
He condemned ongoing displacement, saying, “Today, Nigerians are pushing fellow Nigerians out of their ancestral land. This is unacceptable.”
Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima, emphasised that cultural recognition must accompany efforts to achieve political and economic empowerment.
“As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, land restitution, political inclusion and economic empowerment must be key priorities for all stakeholders,” he said.
