In light of the planned protests across the country, the FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nezam Wike, held an interactive meeting at Town Hall with residents on Saturday, July 27, 2024. This meeting was part of the peace-building process in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Addressing the residents, the FCT Minister explained that the meeting was aimed at providing a platform for dialogue with the different stakeholders in the Territory, enabling them to voice their concerns instead of taking to the streets to protest against the government.
The Minister noted that the protests did not solve any problems but created opportunities for hooligans to take advantage of the situation and cause trouble. He warned that the FCT administration would not allow anyone to protest against the destruction or overthrow of the government and warned residents not to align themselves with anonymous protesters.
Acknowledging the constitutional right of FCT residents to protest, the Minister stressed that protests must be carried out within the confines of the law. “Protests did not solve any problem. Protests create more problems because hooligans and rioters always want to take the initiative to foment trouble and create a crisis,” he said.
Reacting to alleged written requests for permission to protest at Eagle Square in the FCT, the Minister says he only learned of the request through social media and television. It is clear that any request for a protest must be formally addressed to his office and meet certain conditions before approval is granted.
He said, “Who are these people who want to protest? I’m just reading on social media that they’ve applied to me to grant the Eagle Square. Do you apply to me through social media? You will write a letter to the Minister. Who are you? I will see you. What do you want to do? How many days do you want to spend? How much will you pay?
The Minister also stressed the importance of peace for the development of any society, stating that all necessary measures will be taken to maintain peace in the FCT. I thanked stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, youth groups and women leaders for their support and commitment to consolidating peace in the FCT and ensuring continuous dialogue with residents.
Responding to calls for the inclusion of women and youth in government, the Minister stressed that young women and women were adequately represented in his cabinet through appointments as mandatory secretaries and other key positions. Ensure that they are not forgotten in future meetings. “If you look at our workshop, it is also made up of youths. The Satellite Towns Coordinator is a young man. The Mandatory Secretary of the Area Council is a Young Man. The General Council is Young. So if you have a two-member office, you have three young men, then you cannot decide that the youths should not go,” she explained.
On the creation of the FCT Civil Service Commission and subsequent reforms, the Minister stressed that four of the staff appointed as Permanent Secretaries are women. He also assured that the request for the creation of a Youth Secretariat in the FCT Administration will be forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approval.
The Minister stressed that the FCT had, for the first time, a born man as a Minister in the Federal Cabinet. Ensure that the appointment of a non-indigene to represent the FCT in the Public Complaints Committee is brought to the attention of the President for correction. He stressed the importance of dialogue on the protests and said that the mistakes made by the administration could be corrected through proper communication.
The FCT Minister also revealed that the FCT Administration is ready to commence the construction of police stations in various regional councils and ensure the continuous provision of infrastructure in Abuja and satellite towns.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, thanked the residents of the FCT for their support and willingness to collaborate with the FCT administration, ensuring that their efforts to promote peace and development continued.
Mahmoud also reiterated that the FCT administration will not allow faceless people to disrupt the peace and development of the country’s capital.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal area Council, Christopher Maikalangu, expressed appreciation to the Minister for organising the Town Hall meeting and enabling residents of the FCT to air their grievances. He urged the residents to shelve the planned protest and assured that the government was committed to addressing the country’s challenges.
In his comments, the Onah of Abaji, Dr. Adamu Yunusa, who served on behalf of the 17 FCT grade chiefs, thanked the FCT Minister for organizing the council meeting and providing an opportunity to interact with the FCT residents.
The Onah, represented by His Royal Highness Ismaila Mohammed MFR, Sarkin Karshi, stated that the indigenous population of the FCT had been sensitized about the need to avoid protests, emphasizing that they had been warned of the implications.
It was clear that traditional rulers were actively collaborating with security agencies to guarantee peace and security in their diverse domains.
The Chief Imam of Area 10 Mosque, Yahaya Ayo, stressed the importance of peace for development and economic growth and assured that worship centres in the FCT would not participate in the planned protests. He promised to continue to pray for peace and progress in the country.
Pastor JB Michael, the representative of the CAN President, FCT Chapter, thanked the FCT Minister for his transformative efforts and called for meaningful participation of the youths to channel their energy productively.
The Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (FCT branch), Suleiman Ango, thanked the FCT Minister for organising the participation of the Town Hall. She revealed that Nigerian youths unanimously agreed not to protest in the FCT, calling for youth empowerment and the creation of a Secretariat for youth affairs.
The President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Hajia Hadiza, expressed opposition to the planned protests, acknowledging the transformative efforts of the Minister and calling for more interactions.
