The FCTA Resettlement and Compensation Department has reinforced the importance of due process, legal compliance, and strategic planning in the execution of resettlement and compensation mandates in Abuja.
FCT Director of the Resettlement and Compensation Department, Nasir Sulaiman, who revealed this when he recently met with the Helpline Social Support Initiative team that visited his office, clarified that any occupant who has resided in the FCT for more than 10 years is considered an Original Inhabitant (OI) under current policy definitions.
He highlighted specific areas where compensation efforts have taken place, notably Gishiri and Wasa and acknowledged significant financial challenges facing the department, particularly about relocation and compensation of affected persons, and said these constraints have impacted the pace and scope of resettlement activities across designated sites.
However, the Director noted that resistance from some original inhabitants (OIs) to relocation remains a serious concern. This resistance, he said, not only hinders resettlement planning but also poses risks to their livelihoods, particularly where agricultural land is involved, because of the reduction in available land for farming.
A key point emphasised by the Director, Tpl. Sulaiman was the issue of land transactions conducted outside government oversight. He warned that individuals who purchase land from original inhabitants without proper authorisation and documentation through the government stand the risk of forfeiting their rights during compensation or resettlement processes.
The Helpline team, led by Arome G. Onoja, requested permission to submit the compiled list of aggrieved Original Inhabitants who claimed they have neither been compensated or resettled so that appropriate measures can be taken by the Department.
