By Abdullahi Bilal

As I stood amidst the rubble of the once-thriving Ruga community along Airport Road in Abuja, the air was thick with dust and despair. The cacophony of bulldozers tearing through homes was punctuated by the heart-wrenching cries of displaced residents. Children clung to their parents, their innocent faces etched with confusion and fear. An elderly man, his voice trembling, lamented, “We have been here for 37 years… If they remove us from here, where will we go?”

Since his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in August 2024, Nyesom Wike has pursued an aggressive demolition campaign in Abuja, ostensibly to restore the city’s master plan. This controversial anti-poor policy has come at a great cost, resulting in the widespread destruction of homes and livelihoods, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations.

Despite the government’s glaring failure to provide affordable housing for the masses, it has chosen to demolish the little shelter many are managing to survive. Instead of addressing the housing crisis through inclusive and sustainable policies, the administration has prioritized actions that deepen the despair of those already struggling with inadequate living conditions.

In areas such as Sabon Lugbe, Iddo, and along Airport Road, thousands of residents have witnessed their homes reduced to rubble. Community leaders have estimated that over 10,000 people have been displaced, including low-income earners, traders, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had fled violence in northern Nigeria. While the government claims these demolitions are necessary to reclaim public land, there has been little to no provision for compensation or resettlement, leaving the affected families in despair.

The FCT Administration reported that more than 20,432 structures were demolished in 2024 alone. These included not just shanties or alleged illegal constructions but also long-established communities. Residents in some affected areas, such as Sabon Lugbe, assert they were evicted despite holding valid permits. Many allege that the demolitions were carried out without court orders or adherence to due process. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned these actions as legal rights violations, further aggravating Abuja’s already dire housing crisis.

The demolitions have also exacerbated insecurity in the FCT. With thousands left homeless, many have been forced to live under bridges, in abandoned structures, or makeshift camps. This displacement has created fertile ground for social unrest, including a rise in theft, assaults, and other criminal activities, leaving residents even more vulnerable and the city less secure.

Compounding the irony is the discovery of unoccupied luxury properties in Abuja, such as a set of bungalows linked to a billionaire. While numerous elites own these uninhabited properties or live abroad, thousands of displaced people sleep outdoors in deplorable conditions. This stark contrast underscores the systemic inequality at the root of the city’s housing crisis.

The broader context reveals that these demolitions are part of a recurring pattern of displacement and disenfranchisement in Abuja. The FCT has long been plagued by land grabbing, where powerful individuals and corporations acquire prime land through questionable means, often with government complicity. Many of the areas targeted for demolition are highly valuable real estate, suggesting that profit, rather than urban renewal, is the driving force behind these efforts.

Informal settlements and economic hubs, such as Berger Market, have also come under attack. These spaces are lifelines for countless artisans and traders, yet they have been systematically dismantled under the guise of modernization. Such policies prioritize the interests of the wealthy elite and foreign investors over the welfare of the city’s working-class residents.

The events in Abuja are symbolic of a broader systemic failure. Under the capitalist framework, urban development is often treated as a profit-driven venture rather than a public service. A socialist approach to governance would take a fundamentally different path, focusing on uplifting the working class and addressing their needs.

A socialist government, for example, would prioritize mass housing initiatives, ensuring every resident has access to affordable, decent accommodation. Instead of demolishing informal settlements, it would collaborate with communities to upgrade them, providing essential infrastructure such as water, electricity, and sanitation. Public land would be managed for collective societal benefit rather than commodified for the highest bidder. Urban planning would focus on expanding access to public amenities like transportation, schools, and healthcare, rather than catering exclusively to elite interests.

The ongoing demolitions in Abuja serve as a harsh reminder of how profit-driven policies perpetuate inequality. Wike’s actions mirror a longstanding trend of anti-poor governance in Nigeria, where successive administrations have failed to address the needs of the majority. To combat this, Nigerians must collectively organize and resist these oppressive policies.

Trade unions, community groups, and movements must come together to demand an immediate end to the demolitions. They must advocate for comprehensive housing reforms, enforce tenant rights, and call for the abolition of land-grabbing practices. A mass movement grounded in solidarity can pressure the government to adopt policies that place the welfare of the people above corporate and elite interests.

The struggle for housing rights is intrinsically tied to the fight for social and economic justice. As long as the current capitalist system prevails, the working masses will continue to bear the brunt of policies designed to benefit the privileged few. A socialist alternative offers a pathway to equitable development—one where progress is measured by the well-being of the many, not the profits of the few.

Wike’s demolition drive, presented as a bid to restore Abuja’s master plan, is for thousands of displaced residents nothing more than punishment. Without proper resettlement, compensation, or a robust housing policy, the government’s actions have deepened the city’s housing crisis and widened social inequalities.

To build a fairer society, Nigerians must reject the logic of capitalism and demand a system that prioritizes human dignity and welfare.