1 week ago
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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has said that the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, are now living in slums and abject poverty after many years of ceding large portions of their ancestral land to the development of the nation’s capital.
MBF, at the end of its second meeting of 2025, chaired by its President, Dr Bitrus Pogu, reaffirmed its solidarity with the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in their ongoing demand for their constitutional and universal human rights, which the Forum noted have been denied over time.
In a statement issued by the Spokesman of the MBF, Luka Binniyat, the Forum commended the non-violent and civilised approach adopted by the Original Inhabitants Development Association (OIDA) of the FCT, led by Pastor Danladi Jeji, in advocating for their cause.
According to the statement, “It is important to note that the MBF serves as the umbrella socio-cultural body representing the ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt, spanning 14 northern states of Nigeria, including the FCT.
“The NWC acknowledged that the FCT represents one of the biggest concessions made by the Middle Belt to the Nigerian state, as its original inhabitants ceded 8,000 square kilometres of their ancestral land—without opposition—to serve as the nation’s capital and a symbol of national unity.
“This decision was made under military rule and formalised through Decree 6 of 1976, during the tenure of General Murtala Mohammed. It was later incorporated into the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Today, an estimated one million original inhabitants have lost their traditional homes, lands, and important historical and cultural landmarks to the Nigerian state without adequate compensation or recognition.
“The Federal Capital City (FCC) was built after 55 villages were displaced. Yet, to this day, not a single plot of land has been allocated to any original inhabitant of the FCC.
“The original inhabitants of the FCT remain committed to a united Nigeria, but they demand a nation that is just and fair to all citizens, regardless of their place of birth.
“OIDA seeks an urgent resolution to its concerns, as the younger generation of FCT indigenes is becoming increasingly restless, having been rendered stateless in their own land, with no hope for their future amid poverty and deprivation.”
The group calls on Nigerians and the international community to empathise with their plight and pressure both the Presidency and the National Assembly to review their status in the Nigerian Constitution.
“The NWC of the MBF urges all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to take the plight of the original inhabitants of the FCT seriously to end the exploitation of FCT lands. It is unjust that while other Nigerians and even foreigners have acquired large swaths of FCT land for private farms, housing estates, and businesses, the original inhabitants live in slums and abandoned villages in abject poverty.
“All displaced original inhabitants should be properly resettled, and a comprehensive evaluation of their lands should be conducted to ensure fair compensation.
“Just as Lagos was both a state and Nigeria’s former capital, the FCT should also be considered for statehood among the proposed new states. If granted statehood, the FCT should have its own House of Assembly to legislate based on its unique needs.
“The FCT Area Councils are currently excluded from Nigeria’s 774 recognised Local Government Areas, thereby denying them access to monthly federal allocations. This must be corrected.
“These demands can be addressed through executive orders by the President and/or constitutional amendments.
“The MBF firmly believes that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who fought tirelessly for democratic governance during military rule, is in the best position to address this long-standing injustice.
“However, the meeting expressed deep concern over the misinterpretation and misapplication of this historic act of patriotism. Instead of being recognised as contributors to national unity, the original inhabitants of the FCT have been systematically marginalised, with government policies and actions making it appear as though they have forfeited their citizenship rights.
“The MBF views this as a dangerous development that must be urgently addressed through constitutional amendments to ensure a stable, peaceful, secure, and progressive FCT—both now and in the future,” the statement added.
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