The House of Representatives Public Petitions Committee has issued a warrant compelling the Director of Lands at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to appear before it over the demolition of residential buildings in the Tungamaje area of Abuja.
The decision followed the official’s repeated failure to honour invitations by the committee to attend hearings investigating the demolition of residential properties allegedly carried out by the Nigerian Army, leaving several residents displaced and raising concerns over land ownership in the community.
Sources familiar with the development disclosed that members of the committee became angered by the Director of Lands’ continued absence, particularly after he failed to attend another hearing scheduled for October 28, 2026.
According to the sources, the committee had repeatedly invited the official to explain the circumstances surrounding the demolitions and address complaints by affected residents, but he failed to appear.
“The committee has been inviting the Director of Lands but he has refused to attend the meetings. The Committee got angry on October 28, when he failed again to attend the meeting meant to resolve the impasse that has left many homeless and caused tension in Tungamaje,” a source said.
Following his latest absence, the lawmakers resolved to issue a warrant compelling him to appear before the committee at its next hearing scheduled for November 12, 2026.
A source familiar with the committee’s decision described the warrant as the lawmakers’ final opportunity for the official to respond to their invitations.
“They have said the warrant is the last chance they will give him,” the source disclosed.
The committee had earlier summoned the FCTA and the Nigerian military over the prolonged dispute involving land ownership, forced evictions and the demolition of residential buildings in Tungamaje.
In September 2026, the lawmakers gave the FCTA’s Office of Land Administration until September 28 to appear before the committee after the office failed to send a representative, reportedly expected to be the Director of Lands, to an earlier hearing.
The committee had initially scheduled a meeting for September 3, but the session could not hold because of the director’s failure to appear.
The hearing was subsequently rescheduled for September 16, 2026, with representatives of the Nigerian military and the FCTA summoned to address complaints and concerns raised by affected communities.
The lawmakers’ intervention followed repeated complaints by residents over demolitions allegedly carried out by the Nigerian Army, which have left several homeowners facing displacement, uncertainty and fears of losing their properties.
The dispute has persisted amid renewed demolition activities in the community, with residents accusing the military of destroying houses and threatening further action against buildings in the area.
In August 2026, reports emerged that the Nigerian Army had carried out fresh demolitions in Tungamaje, destroying more than 10 residential buildings and warning residents against constructing new houses or undertaking further developments on their properties.
The demolitions reportedly took place on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with affected residents expressing fears that the military would return to destroy additional buildings.
Sources in the community, who requested anonymity, said the military had threatened to continue the demolition exercise and warned indigenous residents against building on their lands.
“The Nigerian Army came on Thursday, they demolished houses and threatened residents who are indigenes against building on their lands, they also said they would be back to carry out more demolitions,” one of the sources said.
Residents further disclosed that several other houses had been marked for demolition, creating widespread confusion and uncertainty among homeowners who feared losing their properties without knowing where to relocate.
“Many houses have been marked by the Nigerian Army and this has caused confusion. Many residents do not even know what to do, they have nowhere to go and yet their situation does not seem like improving,” another source said.
The fresh demolitions reportedly heightened tension across the community, as residents remained uncertain about the military’s next move and whether additional buildings would be destroyed.
The development followed an earlier directive reportedly issued by the Nigerian Army ordering residents of Angwa Dio and Angwa Shibaba communities in Tungamaje to vacate their homes.
The affected residents were initially given until Saturday, August 8, 2026, to leave their properties after several buildings were marked for demolition.
However, following the intervention of stakeholders, the residents reportedly secured a five-day extension, moving the deadline to Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
The prolonged dispute has continued to generate concerns over the circumstances surrounding the demolitions, the ownership of the affected lands and the rights of residents who claim to have properties in the community.
With the House of Representatives Public Petitions Committee now issuing a warrant against the FCTA Director of Lands, attention has shifted to the November 12 hearing, where the official is expected to answer questions from lawmakers concerning the land dispute, the demolitions and the prolonged hardship faced by affected residents.
The committee’s action is expected to put further pressure on the FCTA and the Nigerian military to provide explanations over the crisis that has left several families facing the loss of their homes and uncertainty about their future.