Daud Olatunji
Tension has gripped Tungamaje community in the Federal Capital Territory following fresh demolitions allegedly carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Army, even as the House of Representatives has summoned military authorities and the Director of Lands at the Federal Capital Territory Administration over the controversial exercise.
The latest demolition reportedly took place on Thursday, August 20, with more than 10 houses allegedly pulled down in the community.
Residents said the development had heightened anxiety among homeowners, particularly those whose properties have been marked for demolition.
According to community sources, the soldiers who carried out the exercise also warned residents against constructing new buildings or undertaking further development on their properties.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Army had threatened to return to the community to continue the demolition.
“The Nigerian Army came on Thursday, they demolished houses and threatened residents who are indigenes against building on their lands. They also said they would be back to carry out more demolitions,” the resident said.
The development came barely days after residents of Angwa Dio and Angwa Shibaba, two areas of Tungamaje, were reportedly directed to vacate their homes following an order attributed to the Army.
More than 30 houses had earlier been earmarked for demolition across the two communities, with residents given an initial deadline of August 8 to vacate their properties.
Following interventions by community leaders and other stakeholders, the deadline was reportedly extended by five days to August 12.
Residents, however, said the extension failed to resolve the underlying dispute, with several homeowners still facing the prospect of losing their properties.
The latest demolition has now deepened the dispute over land ownership, occupation and access to farmlands between Tungamaje residents and military authorities.
The controversy has also reached the National Assembly, with the House of Representatives Public Petitions Committee summoning military authorities and the Director of Lands at the FCTA over the demolitions.
The summons followed a hearing by the committee on the demolition exercises in Tungamaje.
Sources familiar with the proceedings said the committee resolved to invite representatives of the Nigerian Army and other military formations, including the Navy, to explain their involvement in the disputed demolitions.
The committee is expected to meet with the military authorities on September 3, while the FCTA Director of Lands is also expected to appear before the lawmakers to provide clarification on land ownership and allocation in the affected areas.
The development suggests that the controversy may extend beyond Tungamaje, as lawmakers reportedly expressed concerns about similar demolitions allegedly involving military institutions in other parts of the FCT, including Iddo.
A source familiar with the proceedings said the committee wanted the relevant authorities to clarify the status of lands being claimed by indigenous residents and the legal basis for the demolition exercises.
“Lands said to be owned by indigenous persons are being demolished by the military in different locations across the Federal Capital Territory,” the source said.
The committee’s intervention has raised hopes among affected residents that the dispute could be subjected to a broader review rather than resolved through further demolitions.
Meanwhile, residents whose properties have been marked for demolition said they were living in fear, with many uncertain about where to relocate if the Army proceeds with its reported plans.
Several homeowners are said to have invested substantial resources in the affected properties, making the prospect of sudden displacement particularly distressing.
“Many houses have been marked by the Nigerian Army and this has caused confusion. Many residents do not even know what to do. They have nowhere to go and yet their situation does not seem like improving,” another resident said.
In May 2026, residents reportedly raised concerns over what they described as attempts to force them from ancestral lands and restrict access to their farmlands.
The residents have continued to insist that they have legitimate claims to the affected lands, while the military’s position on the ownership and use of the disputed areas has not been fully explained in the material available for this report.
With fresh demolitions now carried out and additional properties reportedly marked, residents are calling for urgent intervention by the FCT authorities and the National Assembly to prevent further escalation.
The Nigerian Army and the FCTA were not quoted in the source material as having publicly responded to the latest allegations.
The outcome of the September 3 hearing is therefore expected to provide further clarity on the ownership of the disputed lands, the authority behind the demolitions and the fate of residents whose properties have been marked for removal.
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