FCT EDUCATION SECRETARIAT ENGAGES IDU COMMUNITY ON DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL PROJECT
By: Hauwa Mahmud Madugu
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through the Education Secretariat, has reaffirmed its commitment to due process in handling issues affecting residents of the Territory.
This assurance came when the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, received the Hakimi of Idu, Alhaji Ishaq Ibrahim, alongside community representatives including the youth leader, Muhammad Nasiru, and the Maianguwan Hakimin Idu, Malam Musa, who paid a courtesy visit to the Secretariat over the proposed removal of structures encroaching on government land earmarked for a school rehabilitation project.
Dr. Hayyo, while addressing the delegation, explained that the land in question had long been reserved for educational development by the government in anticipation of the Territory’s rapid population growth. He noted that the administration remains committed to expanding access to quality education across all communities within the FCT.
“Government foresaw the educational needs of the area from inception and reserved this land for that purpose. The present administration is only taking steps to actualize that vision,” he stated.
Dr. Hayyo noted that the multi-billion-naira school development project is designed for the benefit of the Idu community and its environs and will provide modern learning facilities that will serve the growing population of the area.
He further clarified that the Development Control Department had marked the affected structures for removal as far back as March 2021, stressing that the current engagement was therefore not an ambush but a continuation of the government’s long-standing plan to reclaim the reserved land for public good.
He emphasized that the Administration is not out to punish or take residents unawares, hence the decision to grant a six-day window to enable all affected persons vacate their structures voluntarily before the commencement of the planned demolition exercise.
“The FCTA has chosen to approach this matter with human face, that is why we have decided to meet and dialogue with you to avoid uninformed demolition. We want every action to be peaceful and transparent,” Dr. Hayyo added.
The Mandate Secretary further directed the affected residents to approach the Resettlement and Compensation Department of the FCTA for necessary guidance and support, assuring them that the government remains considerate and humane in its policies and actions.
In his remarks, the Hakimi of Idu, Alhaji Ishaq Ibrahim, appreciated the administration for its open-door policy and peaceful approach, pledging the community’s full cooperation. Similarly, representatives of the Anguwan Tiv and other affected residents expressed their readiness to comply and appealed for support to ease their relocation process.
The meeting ended on a cordial note, with both parties expressing confidence in the FCTA’s commitment to justice, development, and peaceful coexistence.
