Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has vowed not to give in to blackmail and reiterated his commitment to demolishing illegal structures and shanties in Nigeria’s capital city.

The minister made this announcement while distributing operational vehicles to security agencies at the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

Let me use this opportunity to tell Nigerians and residents of Abuja, we are not afraid of blackmailing, said Wike.

In fact, you cannot be in this kind of position and say you cannot be blackmailed particularly as regards this Abuja. There are so many land grabbers. Some of us have come to put our feet down. Let heaven fall. It is even better that heaven comes down now so that we would not be fasting again to go to heaven.

The FCT administration had announced the demolition of illegal structures in estates and shanties in Abuja earlier this year. This has generated backlash and criticism from many Abuja residents, particularly the dwellers of the illegal structures.

While people continue to berate the minister, he is convinced that they are security threats and that some of the structures were constructed on government-owned lands. Hence, the need for demolitions.

He further noted that he won’t consider the demands of people pleading with his administration to desist from the demolition of the illegal structures.

We would stop anybody who thinks they will take government land for whatever reason with formal approval. We would not look at your face. If you like be a civil rights activist or a television personality, Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, said during the event.

What is wrong is wrong; no amount of blackmail can stop us. People take government property without approval or documentation,” Wike added.

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