HUMAN rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, on Sunday met with the Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Sarah Omakwu, in Wuye, Abuja, and vowed to challenge the alleged takeover of the city’s Jabi Lake Park.
Addressing the church, Sowore accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of taking over land meant for public infrastructure, including hospital.
The ICIR reported that during a media chat on Wednesday last week, Wike ordered a crackdown on abandoned and poorly developed areas surrounding Jabi Lake, calling the situation an eyesore that is unbefitting of Nigeria’s capital city.
Wike’s directive followed a viral video in which Omakwu appealed with the minister to “leave Jabi Lake for Nigerians,” warning against developments that could restrict public access to the recreational hub.
The minister revealed that plots of land around the lake, originally allocated for high-end projects, had remained undeveloped for years and were filled with makeshift structures.
“For 15 years, nothing happened. We cannot continue like that. If you are not ready to develop, we will take back the land and give it to those who are serious,” the minister warned
Addressing Omakwu’s church on Sunday, Sowore called on the city’s residents to defend public spaces from what he described as greed, land grabbing, and the destruction of public heritage.
The activist said he decided to visit the church after hearing Omakwu publicly pray against the alleged takeover of the park, urging Nigerians to combine prayers with action and confront whatever they perceive as poor policies from government.
“The reason I came here today was the message I saw from Pastor Sarah about Jabi Lake,” he said, adding, “She was praying that Wike should not take Jabi Lake from us. Those of us who understand the purpose of parks, God has answered her prayer. And the prayer for me is that we are all called upon to save the park. Sometimes God answers your prayers, but you must also get off your knees,” he said.
Since President Bola Tinubu appointed him as the FCT minister in 2023, Wike has revoked hundreds of plots of lands whose owners allegedly failed to meet certain obligations, including payment of ground rents. The minister has also severally revoked plots of lands with structures that allegedly failed to comply with the city’s master plan.
The ICIR reported recently that under Wike’s watch, the FCTA converted a large parcel of land originally designated for hospital and allocated it to a private developer, Full Moon Estate Developers Ltd, for a residential project.
The land, identified as Plot 546, Cadastral Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja, covers 3.171 hectares, located directly opposite the Wuye Ultra-Modern Market and adjacent to the Wuye Police Station. Reports show that the entire site has been fenced with barbed wire, while construction activities by the developer are already underway.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.