Angry residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, alongside activists, business operators, traders, and recreational users, protest the alleged illegal takeover and reallocation of the popular Jabi Lake Park in Abuja by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The protesters described the action as a violation of the Abuja Master Plan and an attack on public spaces meant for ordinary Nigerians.
They issued a one-week ultimatum to the minister and the developers to halt construction activities and remove structures allegedly encroaching on the park or face mass action, warning that they would pull down the structures, themselves.
Led by human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, the protesters gathered at the park and accused the minister of approving the conversion of public green areas into private developments.
Sowore described the park as one of the few remaining public relaxation centres accessible to low-income residents in Abuja
According to him, the facility serves multiple purposes beyond recreation, including small-scale business activities, therapy, exercise, religious gatherings, wedding photoshoots, and holiday celebrations.
The activist alleged that several green areas and public land within the FCT had been converted for private use, including spaces along highways and within institutional zones.
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