The Network of Journalists on Indigenous Issues (NEJII) has called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to enact a comprehensive law protecting the economic, cultural and social rights of Abuja Original Inhabitants (AOIs), warning that decades of neglect could fuel future unrest if left unaddressed.
Addressing journalists, the group said the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), made up of eight ethnic nationalities, have suffered historical injustice since the relocation of Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja under Decree No. 6 of February 3, 1976.
Network of Journalists on Indigenous Issues said nearly five decades after the creation of the FCT, the original inhabitants continue to grapple with displacement, loss of ancestral lands and inadequate government protection of their cultural heritage.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its spokesman, Adewale Adeoye, said the proposed legislation should guarantee dedicated funding for the welfare of Abuja’s indigenous communities.
According to him, the law should reserve a specific percentage of the FCT’s annual budget for the education and healthcare of Abuja Original Inhabitants, while also creating an Abuja Indigenous Peoples Endowment Fund to finance cultural preservation and community development.
“The Bill should also guarantee priority employment opportunities for Abuja Original Inhabitants in public and corporate institutions, preserve indigenous languages by introducing them in primary and secondary schools within the FCT, and protect ancestral worship centres and sacred groves,” he said.
Adeoye warned that the continued marginalisation of the indigenous communities poses a potential security risk.
“The situation of indigenous people in the FCT is a ticking time bomb. At a time Nigeria is battling violence, banditry and terrorism, we do not want another form of violent resistance emerging from Abuja, the nation’s capital and the country’s window to the world,” he said.
The group noted that unlike several agitations across the country that later turned violent, the demands of Abuja Original Inhabitants have remained peaceful and dialogue-driven.
“They simply want the Federal Government to listen to them. Timely engagement and resolution of their grievances are essential for sustainable peace and conflict prevention in the FCT,” Adeoye added.
NEJII said its appeal was also in recognition of the forthcoming United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, observed annually on August 9, stressing that Nigeria should demonstrate its commitment to protecting indigenous communities through concrete legislative action.
The group identified the indigenous ethnic nationalities in the FCT as Gbagyi (Gwari), Gade, Ganagana, Koro, Ebira, Nupe and other indigenous communities that have historically occupied the territory.
Among its other recommendations, NEJII called for the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged historical injustices, including the forceful acquisition of ancestral lands by successive military and civilian administrations, with a view to ensuring adequate compensation or restitution where appropriate.
It also urged the Federal Government to reconsider its position on policing in the FCT by creating an Abuja Metropolitan Police with significant participation of Abuja Original Inhabitants, while promoting monuments, symbols and cultural initiatives that reflect the history and identity of the indigenous communities.
The group maintained that addressing the concerns of Abuja’s original inhabitants through dialogue, institutional reforms and legislation would strengthen national unity and prevent avoidable conflicts.
“Abuja’s indigenous people have chosen the path of peace, not because they are weak, but because they value peaceful coexistence, tolerance and trust. They still believe the government will listen to them, although their patience is gradually wearing thin,” the group said.
