Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian authorities to discontinue the demolition of Ruga and other communities in Abuja.
A statement by the Director of Amnesty International NigeriaIsa Sanusi, urged the government to declare a moratorium on mass forced evictions within and around Abuja until there are regulations in place to ensure that such forced evictions comply with safeguards that are required under international law.
The statement read in part; “FCT must end ongoing forced evictions and provide support to communities already rendered homeless.
“The recent forced evictions in and around the FCT rendered over 20,000 families homeless.
On 6 November, the Federal Territory Administration’s Special Task team “Operation Sweep” demolished the Ruga community in Abuja, destroying hundreds of houses under the guise of “cleaning the city of all forms of nuisance and criminality.”
“Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to discontinue the demolition of Ruga and other communities in Abuja and to declare a moratorium on mass forced evictions within and around Abuja until there are regulations in place to ensure that such forced evictions comply with safeguards that are required under international law.
“The authorities’ ongoing forceful eviction of residents, without adequate notice and consultations, without compensation or making alternative resettlement plans is making the poor pay the price of the government’s urban planning failures.
“The impact of demolitions and evictions on affected communities is profound.
” Families are uprooted, children are deprived of education, and means of livelihood destroyed. The lack of proper notice and support during these evictions exacerbates the challenges faced by the urban poor, who are often least equipped to cope with sudden displacement.
“The social fabric of these communities is severely disrupted, leading to long-term negative effects on health, education, and overall well-being.
“The FCT authorities must halt forced evictions and provide alternative shelter to families already rendered homeless without the due process of law.
Using ‘insecurity’ as an excuse to forcefully evict these communities and hand over the land to private developers is an irony that must not be overlooked, as state-provided security is almost non-existent in such communities.
“Developing the Federal Capital Territory by excluding the poor and the vulnerable exacerbates Nigeria’s stunning inequality.
“Nigeria is a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and other international and regional human rights treaties, which require it to respect the right to adequate housing and to prevent and refrain from carrying out forced evictions.
Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and AccountAbility Project(SERAP) says it is suing Nyesom Wike, minister of the FCT over the apparently ongoing unlawful demolitions of the so-called shanties and the attacks on beggars in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, SERAP said ‘the minister must immediately halt the demolitions and attacks and respect the rule of law.
