Aggrieved victims of a demolished estate in the Sabon-Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have raised an alarm over an alleged plan to sell their land.
They alleged that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has put the land up for sale for the sum of N30bn.
Speaking on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja, the victims warned the public against purchasing the said land which they said is subject of litigation at the FCT High Court.
Speaking through their counsel, Kalu Agu Kalu, the victims insisted that the land is legally theirs, presenting documents to affirm that the land was lawfully allocated to them by the department of urban and regional planning of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
They said the land upon which over N200bn buildings were erected was allocated to them after payment of statutory fees.
Barrister Kalu alleged that a private company with foreigners as directors was contracted to sell off the land.
The lawyer said the victims are considering staging a protest in the nation’s capital to vent their frustration and get the presidency to intervene in the matter.
According to the lawyer, his clients have mandated him to write officially to the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) to ensure the protest is not hijacked by hoodlums.
He said, “the land is genuinely allocated to (my clients) and we have all the necessary title documents released to us upon payment of statutory fees.
“Besides, we filed a suit at the High Court of the FCT and against the FCT minister and two others and served processes of the suit on parties, yet the demolition was done despite the pendency of the case.
“Information at our disposal is that the authorities of the FCT have put the land for sale, we are hereby issuing warning that no Nigerian should buy the land or any portion of it as doing so would tantamount to wasting of resources.
“We hereby challenge the media to investigate our claims to the ownership of the land and come out with an independent report,” Kalu said.
The lawyer restated his appeal to President Bola Tinubu to call the FCT minister to order.
He assured that his clients would not take laws into their hands in spite of the alleged injustice but would pursue their litigation to a just conclusion.
Kalu added that his clients have absolute confidence that the judiciary would do justice in the end.