Natives of Abuja have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to obey an exiting court judgment by appointing Abuja native as minister in his cabinet as required by law to avoid civil unrest in the territory.
The group also decried the fact that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has not professionally handled the military incursion in Tunga Maje, noting that the president and the vice president should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the territory.
Addressing journalists Tuesday in Abuja, Spokesperson of the group Comrade Yunusa Yusuf said the natives have been pushed to the wall and it is natural to react.
According to him, the natives have exhausted all forms of dialogues that could lead to peaceful resolutions.
“There is a subsisting court judgment directing Mr. President to appoint Abuja native as minister in his cabinet. To our greatest shock, the list of 43 ministerial nominees sent to the National Assembly for screening does not contain any native of Abuja.
“We are saying enough is enough. Nigerians should hold President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice responsible for any possible breakdown of law and order. It is not a threat, but a statement of fact,” he stated.
Speaking on the quit notice by the Nigeria Army for residents of Tunga Maje to vacate their ancestral homes, the group flayed Osinbajo for his inability to resolve the land dispute between the natives and army.
He said: “It is unfortunate that after the meeting on May 13, 2019, we have waited patiently for a response from the Office of the Vice President even though the Nigerian Army have continued to forcefully develop the disputed land and harassment of the Abuja original inhabitants on the said land unabated.
“We have waited patiently but running out of patience and our silence and respect for the office of the Vice President, National Assembly and other constituted authorities should not be perceived as fear to defend our lives and property in our own way.
“On July 12, 2019, the Nigerian Army issued a quit notice dated July 3, 2019, to all the FCT original inhabitants on the land to deliver up possession of the land on or before August 3, 2019, and that in event of refusal to comply with the quit notice within the stated timeline, the Nigerian Army will do everything within its power to take possession of the land.”
The group maintained that: “At this point, we want to state unequivocally that FCT natives will never fold our hands and watch the army eject us forcefully from our legitimate ancestral land.”
