27th November, 2021

TO ALL LANDLORDS,
PLAZA OWNERS, SHOP OWNER
AND LAND OWNERS

CLARION CALL TO STAND AGAINST DEMOLITION EXERCISE IN DUTSE DISTRICT

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
You will recall the legal tussle between our Dutse Community and the Federal Capital Territory
Development (FCDA) in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/3912/2013 where the community took FCDA to court
seeking the following four (4) reliefs;

1. A Declaration that marking of the plaintiffs houses situate at Dutse Community area
located within Bwari Community Area Council of the FCT Abuja for demolition by the
defendant is illegal, null and void and a violation of section 47,61 and 83 of the Nigeria
Urban and Regional Planning Act Cap n 138 LFN 2004
2. An order of this honorable court mandating the defendants to upgrade Dutse Community
into a Modern Community by providing the Community with basic Infrastructures such as
a good road network, pipe borne water, health care facilities for a decent and standard
living.
3. An order of the honourable court mandating the defendants to integrate the plaintiffs and
all residents of Dutse Community into the upgrade of Dutse Community and give the
plaintiffs right of first refusal for lands in the upgraded Dutse Community
4. A perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants from the demolition of the Plaintiffs
property located within Dutse Community of FCT Abuja and any properties located within
Dutse Community pending when the defendants submit before this honourable court a
Site Plan Dutse Community That Integrates the Plaintiffs into Site Plan for The Upgraded of
the Community into A Modern Community

The legal battle lasted for 5 (five) years and, pursuit to this suit the Court in its final Judgment
made on 26th October ,2018 granted our relief ONE only and refused to grant reliefs 2,3 and 4.
However, our victory in the court was not without financial implications. This cost us over Seven
Million Naira (N7, 000,000.00) for the records are there for verification. The expenses were borne
by few locations like Sokale, Jabu and Makaranta residents, many other areas were not aware that
there was a legal battle that was on going, so when we told them of the victory, it was like a
mirage to them. Notwithstanding, few others appreciated our effort that yielded a temporary
relief for all the residences in Dutse Community at large.
PRESENT CHALLENGE:
Since after the said Judgment, tension in Dutse community dosed down until recently when some
shops and houses were demolished on 06/10/2021 in Sokale down to Makaranta along Bwari
Road. The shops owners and houses that were affected will never wished that day should re-occur
again in their lives, they are yet to recover from the shock up till this moment. Apart from this
ordeal, we were reliably informed that Development Control threatened that they are still coming
back to Dutse Community for mass demolition. Already, we were reliably informed that part of
Jabu Community has been served with demolition notices. And we were told that ALL DUTSE
COMMUNITY be it Sokale, Dutse Zone 7, Jabu, Obasanjo Road, Dutse Makarta and New Jerusalem
and Muko are sitting on people plots, categorically declared that we are sitting on existing layouts!
And that the owners of the plots have written against us!

ACTION TAKEN:

As a result of the above present challenge on ground, we as responsible leaders of the

Community, the delegates from Sokale, Dutse Makaranta and Dutse Jabu led by our Central
Chairman Pastor Akin-Davies, reasoned together and our Chairman made a call to our
Association’s Solicitor the person of Chief Femi Falana (SAN) who directed us to come to his
Chambers on Monday 18th October, 2021. All the delegates cancelled their personal engagements
even some Public Servants among us did not go to their offices that day. What a sacrifice! What a
Concern!

OUT COME OF OUR MEETING AT FALANAS CHAMBERS:

At the Chamber, we narrated our ordeals to the SAN’s representative, who is a solicitor in the
Chamber and who has been part of the struggle with us since 2013.

He demanded for a copy of the Judgment of which our Secretary General gracious brought out and
the Association’s Secretary was directed to read relief one that says “defendants cannot demolish
the Plaintiffs’ houses situate at Dutse Community, Bwari Area Council FCT Abuja without strict
compliance with the requirements of the applicable laws.” It was interpreted to us that if FCDA
and the Development Control should follow the due process of the law, we ALL in Dutse can be
evacuated, that is, our houses could be demolished. God forbid!

Again, our General Secretary was made to read the Reliefs 2, 3 and 4 (Our prayers) which was
dismissed.

To stop the FCDA from further accomplishing their aim of demolishing our community, we were
made to know that the way out is to take the prayers (reliefs 2,3 and 4) to Federal Court of Appeal
which will cost the whole Community Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) Only.

We were given assurance that SAN, that is Chief Femi Falana SAN will use his legal machineries for
us to make our demand a reality.

IN CONCLUSION: WHAT WE NEED TO DO URGENTLY: DEVELOPMENT LEVY:

The tasks ahead of us as Residents in Dutse Community is enormous (going to Appeal Court,
Political Lobbying, engagement with Traditional Leaders, even Press). However, it is achievable
if we can corporate.

If Landlords in Dutse Zone 7 will not say, they are not in Sokale, so they are safe, if Muko
Landlords will not say they are secured unlike Makaranta Landlords, even if Obasanjo Road
Landlords and New Jerusalem and Bakuma will not say their properties are in safe haven, then
we can achieve a great feat.
 Let each of the Units in Duste Community (Sokale, Makaranta and Jabu, Obasanjo, Zone 7 and
Muko) organize meetings and awareness in their Areas even at Worship Centre’s and
encourage our fellow Landlords to contribute a token of Five Thousand Naira Only (N5,000.00)
each or more to secure our properties for life. This amount is not up to the present cost of 4 by
4 window now. And the same be remitted to

ACCOUNT NAME: DUTSE DISTRICT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

ACCOUNT NO: 1014401287
BANK: ZENITH

We have 2 weeks for this exercise. 1st DECEMBER TO 15TH DECEMBER 2021

IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE WAR WHEN THE VICTORY WILL BE CELEBRATED YOU
MAY NOT ENJOY THE MELODIOUS MUSIC OF THE VICTORY.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE PART OF THESE STRUGGLES WITH OUR FELLOW

LANDLORDS.

Thanks.

Yours faithfully,