Nigerian House Of Reps Gives FCTA September 28 Deadline To Explain Army Demolitions In Tungamaje | Sahara Reporters

The committee had summoned the FCTA and the Nigerian military as part of efforts to intervene in the prolonged dispute involving land ownership, evictions and the demolition of residential buildings in Tungamaje.

The House of Representatives Public Petitions Committee has given the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) until September 28 to appear before it over the demolition of houses in the Tungamaje area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The ultimatum followed the failure of the FCTA’s Office of Land Administration to send a representative, reportedly expected to be the Director of Lands, to a meeting convened by the committee to address the demolitions allegedly carried out by the Nigerian Army.

The committee had summoned the FCTA and the Nigerian military as part of efforts to intervene in the prolonged dispute involving land ownership, evictions and the demolition of residential buildings in Tungamaje.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the committee again summoned the Nigerian military and the FCTA to appear before it on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, over the continued demolition of houses in the area.

The hearing was expected to bring together representatives of the military, the FCTA and communities affected by the demolitions as lawmakers sought to find a solution to the dispute.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Director of Lands was expected to represent the FCTA at the hearing.

The committee had previously scheduled a meeting for September 3, but the meeting could not hold after the FCTA Director of Lands failed to appear.

Fresh developments gathered from sources familiar with the matter indicate that members of the committee were angered by the continued failure of the FCTA Director of Lands to honour its invitations.

The committee subsequently gave the FCTA until September 28 to appear before it.

The latest summons comes amid renewed demolition activities in Tungamaje, with residents expressing fears that more houses could be destroyed.

In August, SaharaReporters reported that the Nigerian Army carried out fresh demolitions in Tungamaje, destroying more than 10 houses and warning residents against constructing new houses or carrying out further development on their properties.

The demolitions were reportedly carried out on Thursday, August 20, 2026, leaving affected residents distressed and uncertain about the future of their homes.

Sources in the area, who asked not to be named, said the latest action by the Army had heightened concerns among residents, particularly homeowners whose properties had been marked for 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,” one of the residents said.

Several other houses have reportedly been marked for demolition, further increasing uncertainty among residents over the future of their properties.

“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,” the source said.

The latest demolition exercise reportedly created tension in the community, with affected residents uncertain about whether the Army would return to demolish more houses.

The development came barely days after residents of Angwa Dio and Angwa Shibaba communities in Tungamaje were ordered to vacate their homes following a directive reportedly issued by the Nigerian Army.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that residents were given until Wednesday, August 12, 2026, to leave the affected areas after several houses were marked for demolition.

The residents were initially ordered to vacate their homes by Saturday, August 8. However, an intervention by stakeholders reportedly resulted in a five-day extension.

A community source had told SaharaReporters that more than 30 houses were earmarked for demolition across the two communities, with residents asked to vacate the areas.

The dispute between Tungamaje residents and the Nigerian Army is not new and has continued for months, with disagreements reportedly centred on land ownership and access to farmlands in the area.

In May 2026, SaharaReporters reported that residents of Tungamaje had raised the alarm over what they described as the forceful eviction of residents from their ancestral lands by personnel of the Nigerian Army.

With more houses reportedly still marked for demolition, residents are now looking to the House of Representatives hearing for possible intervention in the dispute.