By Kamil Opeyemi
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has labelled reports that the FCT Minister planned to demolish 6000 houses in 30 communities as “false” and “sensationalist”.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary of the FCT, Anthony Ogunleye, on Wednesday.
Ogunleye, dismissed claims by some media outfits that Wike plans to demolish 6,000 houses across 30 settlements in Abuja, including Wadata Plaza.
The statement also denied reports that the FCT Minister owned an armoured N300m Lexus LX 600, stating that the vehicle was only a “regular SUV.”
“We would like to categorically state that these stories are entirely false and without any basis,” Ogunleye said.
He explained that the story on the demolition of 6,000 houses was reported by a national daily newspaper on Aug. 22, with the caption “Abuja land: FG may revoke land allocations, demolish 6000 buildings, slums”.
He added that another mainstream newspaper also published what he described as an “irritating story”, with a caption, “Wadata Plaza will go down, Reactions trail Wike’s demolition threat”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Minister did not in any of his pronouncements list the areas or the number of illegal houses to be removed. Rather, his emphasis has always been that illegal settlements and structures would be removed for the greater good of the public.
“The Honourable Minister has consistently demonstrated a commitment to responsible urban development and the welfare of the people even while he was the governor of Rivers State, a commitment he has assured residents within the FCT since he assumed office as minister. The claim that he is orchestrating large-scale demolitions is not only inaccurate but also lacks credibility,” he said
He further described as “equally vexing,” a report that had stated the minister would fix Abuja in six days, adding that Wike had, at no time, said or alluded to the phrase in any way.
“We wish to state quite clearly that at no time did the Honourable Minister say this or allude to this phrase in any way. This headline, therefore, is borne purely out of mischief,” he said.
The director press pointed out that such sensational reporting not only misleads the public but also undermines the vital role that accurate and well-researched journalism plays in society.
Ogunleye urged newsmen, bloggers and media outlets to verify information before disseminating it to the public, adding that fabricated stories “only serve to damage the reputation of respected public figures and create unnecessary anxiety amongst the citizenry.”