By PHILIP YATAI

Some Civil Society Organisations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for a thorough investigation into the alleged fraud in the compensation and relocation of victims of demolition in Gishiri Village, Abuja.

A total of 455 houses and structures standing on a road corridor in the village were demolished to give way for a road project.

However, media reports alleged that victims of the demolished houses and structures, were being defrauded by officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

The reports, which emanated from a meeting between the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike and leaders of the community, particularly identified Mr Richard Dauda, the acting Executive Secretary of the authority as the culprit.

Reacting to the development, the civil society organisations, in a joint statement in Abuja on Tuesday, called on the FCT Minister to investigate the claim.

According to them, the full investigation of the alleged fraud is necessary to determine the veracity of the claim and bring the culprit to book.

The statement was jointly signed by the President of Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths Empowerment Organisation, Isaac Isaac, and Youths Leader, FCT Youths Network, Mr Umar Makeri.

Others are the Women Leader, Abuja Original Inhabitants Women Association, Sarki Yemi and Chief Ambassador, Abuja Grassroots Ambassadors and Coalition of Nigeria Youth on Security and Safety Affairs, Mr Yunusa Yusuf.

The group called for a probe into the fraud allegations, insisting that the FCDA Executive Secretary was wrongfully accused.

They called for fair hearing to enable Dauda to exonerate himself from the alleged fraud linked to him.

The group argued that a press release from the Director of Press, Office of the Minister, had completely absolved the FCDA boss of any fraud.

According to the group, the emphasis was on fair compensation for owners of demolished structures in Gishiri Village, irrespective of their indigenisation status.

?We the civil society organisations in the FCT have taken interest in the demolition, compensation and relocation of affected persons from Gishiri Village.

?We have done our investigations and can tell you that nobody was paid before demolition was carried out.

?While we believe that the media has the responsibility of holding government officials accountable, they also owe it to the people to present the facts as they are.?

The group commended the FCT minister for increasing the compensation funds from N655 million to N1.3 billion, stressing the need for social justice and equity.

They, however, said that they would not stand by and watch while an innocent person was being wrongfully accused.

?Is the Executive Secretary responsible for paying compensation? Is that not the responsibility of the Department of Resettlement and Compensation?

?Why then is the Executive Secretary of FCDA dragged for what he is not directly responsible for?

?We, therefore, call for a thorough investigation of all those involved in the compensation payment, where everyone involved will be given an opportunity to present their own case,? the statement said. (NAN)

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