SEO Riders
– Indigenous Heritage Under Threat as FCT Sites Give Way to Development
– CHRICED Demands Land Restitution, Fair Compensation, and Political Inclusion
– MacArthur Foundation Urges Cultural Recognition Amid Nigeria’s 2027 Roadmap
The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has sounded the alarm over the demolition and conversion of sacred indigenous sites in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—including burial grounds and historic landmarks—into luxury estates and commercial centers. Speaking during the 2025 Grand Cultural Rally in Abuja, CHRICED Executive Director Ibrahim Zikirullahi emphasized that this trend is displacing original custodians and erasing centuries-old heritage. He called for urgent land restitution to original indigenous owners, fair compensation, and structural support that includes political inclusion, targeted investments, education, and job creation.
Backing CHRICED’s advocacy, Comrade Shittu Shidawa—the Coordinator of the Coalition of FCT Indigenous Associations—highlighted the struggle for identity and survival. He recounted enduring exclusion, such as lack of proper recognition in the JAMB system, that has limited educational and professional opportunities for indigenous youths. Referencing the 1999 Constitution, Shidawa urged the creation of a legal framework that grants indigenous communities governance over the Federal Capital Sector while maintaining the Federal Capital City’s status separately. He condemned the injustice of Nigerians being pushed off ancestral land and called for urgent redress.