Police operatives on Tuesday dispersed a group of contractors who barricaded the office of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja, demanding payment of outstanding verified contracts totaling ₦5.2 billion.
The contractors accused the FCT Administration of withholding payments for jobs executed between September 2023 and May 2024, despite full verification and certification by relevant departments.
The protesters, under the Coalition of Indigenous FCT Contractors, blocked the main entrance to the minister’s office with placards before police officers fired tear gas to disperse them.
The contractors alleged that the action was taken on the instructions of the minister.
The coalition’s Chairman, Chuka Muojindu, said the unpaid sum of ₦5,211,503,589.50 covers contracts such as drain desilting, sewage evacuation, medical supplies, school furniture, borehole drilling, and related public works.
“Every contract was inspected, verified, and forwarded for payment, but the minister has refused to approve the final release,” he said.
Muojindu described the situation as a humanitarian and economic crisis for several of their members.
“Over five of our members have died. Some developed severe hypertension, some lost their homes and marriages,” he said, adding that a pregnant contractor also reportedly lost her baby after repeated visits to seek payment.
The protesters also referenced the case of Mr. Benson Ehuwa, who allegedly sent a WhatsApp message to the minister pleading for payment to enable him to return his children to school.
According to the group, he was subsequently arrested and prosecuted despite verification of his executed contracts.
In a similar demonstration on August 15, 2024, contractors said they held a silent protest at the FCTA secretariat but were met with tear gas and forceful dispersal.
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“One moment we were holding banners, the next moment the air was filled with tear gas,” one contractor said, adding that some officers privately admitted they were instructed to clear the protest without engagement.
The coalition said it has written multiple letters to the minister, engaged his aides, and approached the National Assembly leadership.
They also claimed President Bola Tinubu directed that the contractors be paid, but said the directive has not been implemented.
“What crime did we commit other than executing contracts awarded by the government?” Muojindu asked, calling for intervention from the Presidency, the National Assembly, and civil society groups.
