Dozens of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) contractors were on Wednesday dispersed with tear gas after barricading the office of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in protest over alleged unpaid contract sums totaling ₦5.2 billion.
The contractors, operating under a coalition, had gathered at the minister’s office to demand payment for jobs they said were fully executed, inspected, and certified by relevant departments of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). They accused the minister of withholding their payments for close to two years without formal explanation.
According to the protesters, the unpaid amount—₦5,211,503,589.50—covers contracts awarded and completed between September 2023 and May 2024. The projects reportedly included drain clearing, sewage evacuation, borehole drilling, medical procurement, school furniture supply, and other public service deliveries carried out under the supervision of the FCT administration.
Chairman of the coalition, Mr. Chuka Muojindu, described the situation as “deliberate economic strangulation,” insisting that all the contracts were properly verified and approved for payment before allegedly stalling at the ministerial level.
Documents presented by the contractors indicate that several certificates of completion were issued, yet final approval for fund release was not granted. The protesters said their peaceful action on Tuesday escalated on Wednesday when police officers moved in to clear the area with tear gas.
Eyewitnesses reported that many contractors were left gasping for air as police fired canisters to disperse the crowd. Some contractors claimed officers told them privately that they were acting under strict orders to break up the protest without negotiation.
Several protesters alleged that the prolonged non-payment has had severe personal consequences. They claimed that some members of the group have reportedly died from stress-related illnesses, while others have lost homes, marriages, and financial stability after taking loans to execute the projects.
One contractor said a colleague, who was pregnant, allegedly lost her baby after repeatedly seeking payment from officials without success. Another case cited involved a contractor who reportedly sent a message to the minister pleading for payment to enable him to send his children back to school, only to be arrested and charged for allegedly harassing a public official.
The coalition said earlier efforts to attract government attention included letters to the minister, engagements with his aides, petitions to the National Assembly, and requests for intervention from the Presidency, all of which, they claimed, yielded no results.
They further alleged that a previous “silent protest” held on August 15, 2024, at the FCTA Secretariat was also dispersed by the police, despite the contractors insisting they neither blocked roads nor caused disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the FCT Ministry nor the Nigeria Police had issued an official response to the allegations raised by the contractors.
The protesters insist they will continue to seek redress through lawful means, questioning why completed and verified contracts remain unpaid while contractors bear the financial and personal burden.