FCT Natives Demand Ancestral Land Protection in Abuja Review

Natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), represented by the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO), are calling for the protection of their ancestral lands and cultural heritage in the ongoing review of the 1979 Abuja Master Plan. The organization emphasizes the need to correct the exclusion of several indigenous communities from the original plan and seeks the establishment of an Abuja Original Inhabitant Community Development Policy and Integration Framework.

This framework aims to safeguard the rights of natives and guide the preservation and development of their communities. AOIYEO commended Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for initiating the review and for appointing Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, an indigenous son of the FCT, as chairman of the Abuja Master Plan Review Committee.

The organization stressed the importance of addressing the concerns of Original Inhabitants and ensuring their inclusion in development initiatives, particularly in light of rapid population growth and urban needs.