The Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike has said that he would not succumb to intimidation and emotional blackmail being deployed by certain people to dissuade him from continuing with the ongoing demolition of shanties and illegal structures at Ruga and other places.

Recall that some members of Civil Society Organisations ( CSOs) had mibilized victims of demolition to stage a protest against the Minister, accusing him of land grabbing.

The Minister who visited the community late Sunday evening, stated that those alleging land grabbing merely exposed their ignorance, saying that the government owns the land and can’t be grabbing what it owns.

Wike noted that he cannot be intimidated by those whipping emotional sentiment over an issue that concerns national security.

He disclosed that the unorganized shanty community is located within a buffer zone and too close to Kukwuaba railway Station.

According to him, it would be counterproductive to the security fight to allow such shanties to exist very close to a critical railway infrastructure.

Wike lamented that security reports had revealed that the vandalism recorded on the railway station was hugely from the community.

Meanwhile, the Minister also granted that five man committee from the community should liaise with some appointed FCTA officials and head of security agencies to look at the plight of the displaced people and make recommendations.

Earlier in his remarks, the spokesperson of the community, Abba Garu pleaded with the minister to consider the situation of the displaced persons and cushion their hardship.

Garu claimed that some of them have stayed in the place for over 30 years and have no other place to move to.

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