Take-It-Back Movement Announces Mass Protests Against Abuja Demolition Wave
Abuja, Nigeria – The Take-It-Back Movement has declared a campaign of mass resistance against what it describes as the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s “systematic displacement of urban poor communities,” following a series of controversial demolitions across Abuja. The pro-democracy organization is mobilizing displaced residents for what promises to be a major confrontation with authorities over housing rights.
The movement’s Federal Capital Territory Coordinator, Rex Elanu, issued a scathing indictment of the demolition exercises during a press briefing on Thursday. “The pattern is unmistakable – from Sabon Lugbe to Tunga Maje, we’re witnessing not urban renewal but state-sponsored destitution,” Elanu stated. His remarks referenced the recent demolition of over 100 homes in Sabon Lugbe, which the movement estimates has caused property losses exceeding N200 billion.
Disturbing accounts have emerged from affected communities. In Gishiri, residents who were promised compensation and relocation found their homes reduced to rubble without warning. “The bulldozers arrived at dawn, flanked by armed security personnel,” recounted one displaced shop owner. “They gave us minutes to remove what we could before destroying everything.” Similar scenes played out in Tunga Maje, where SaharaReporters obtained videos showing soldiers supervising demolition crews as terrified residents protested.
The crisis has escalated with revelations that the FCT Administration plans to demolish approximately 6,000 structures across thirty districts. Urban development experts warn this could create Nigeria’s largest internal displacement event in a single city. “When you render thousands homeless without alternatives, you’re not planning a city – you’re manufacturing a humanitarian crisis,” said Dr. Fatima Mohammed, a housing rights researcher at the University of Abuja.
Minister Nyesom Wike’s office maintains the demolitions target illegally constructed buildings, but documents reviewed by this publication show many affected properties held valid certificates of occupancy. Legal analysts note the administration’s failure to issue mandatory thirty-day notices or provide alternative housing as required by the FCT’s own regulations.
The Take-It-Back Movement has outlined a three-pronged response. On October 1, organizers plan to lead thousands of displaced residents in a march to the FCTA headquarters. Simultaneously, a coalition of human rights lawyers is preparing a class action suit at the ECOWAS Court of Justice, while international advocacy efforts will petition United Nations housing rights monitors.
Security forces have reportedly begun deploying additional units around protest gathering points, setting the stage for potential confrontation. The FCT Police Command issued a statement warning against “unauthorized assemblies,” even as community leaders allege intensified harassment.
As the standoff intensifies, the demolitions have become a lightning rod for broader discontent over economic hardship. “When the government can erase entire neighborhoods with impunity while failing to provide basic services, it reveals its priorities,” Elanu concluded. “We will make Abuja the frontline in the struggle for housing justice.”
The coming weeks will test both the resilience of citizen mobilization and the administration’s willingness to reconsider its urban policy amid growing national and international scrutiny. With thousands of lives in the balance, Abuja’s demolition crisis has become more than a local planning dispute – it’s emerging as a defining test of democratic accountability in Nigeria’s capital.
