A group of contractors in the Federal Capital Territory, under the Association of Indigenous Contractors of FCT, has again petitioned the National Assembly, alleging human rights abuses against one of their members by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
In September, the minister allegedly ordered the arrest and detention of a contractor after he sent Wike a WhatsApp message explaining his family’s hardships due to non-payment for completed projects. The petition, obtained by SaharaReporters, highlights the detention of Mr. Benson Ehuwa on September 23, 2024, and urges the Senate to compel the minister to meet outstanding payments totaling N5.2 billion for public works like drainage and sewage systems.
Titled Re-Nonpayment of Contractual Liabilities by the FCTA Authorities To The Indigenous Contractors of FCTA And Request For Your Urgent Intervention, the petition was signed by five association members: Mr. Chuka Muojindu, Mr. Andy Kor, Jamilu Gwandu, Dan Maurice Uche, and Ogbonna Lewis. It alleges that attempts to resolve the issue, including protests in July and August 2024, were met with police dispersal and tear gas.
The contractors state that upon Ehuwa’s arrest, Wike personally questioned him, reportedly directing the police to detain him for two weeks without bail. Though police investigations confirmed that Ehuwa was owed by the FCTA, he was still charged in court on September 27, 2024.
The contractors have sought intervention from prominent Nigerians and government officials, but their efforts have been unsuccessful, with some fearing Wike may retaliate by revoking property titles. Meanwhile, reports suggest many contractors are struggling to meet basic family needs due to unpaid fees.
They also claim that, despite the outstanding debt, Wike has been awarding new contracts to close associates, promptly paying them while refusing to address their own overdue payments.
This petition follows an earlier letter sent on July 8, 2024, to the Senate Committee on FCT, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Mohamed Bomai, who acknowledged its receipt on July 9, 2024.
Source: Sahara Reporters
