A heated debate in the Nigerian Senate on the topic of infrastructure funding in the 2024 FCT budget almost turned emotional when Senate President Godswill Akpabio passionately stood against a proposal that could lead to the eviction of local communities around the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
During the plenary, a senator had suggested that villages around the airport be removed or relocated to improve the aesthetic image of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially for visitors flying into the capital. He argued that the current infrastructure and settlement pattern near the airport “does not represent the good image of the country.”
However, Akpabio pushed back strongly, asking a rhetorical but striking question:
“Do you want to drive them from their village so that when your plane is landing you can see skyscrapers?”
His comment sparked applause and laughter in the chamber but also underscored a deeper issue — the tension between urban development and the rights of indigenous communities.
“These are their homes. That is what they can afford. Are we now saying that development means pushing people out of their ancestral lands?” Akpabio asked.
He acknowledged the need to beautify the capital city, especially its entrance points like the airport corridor, but insisted that such beautification should not come at the cost of displacing citizens who have lived in the area for generations.
“The image of a nation isn’t just in the buildings, it’s also in how we treat our people,” Akpabio added.
While the debate was initially about infrastructure funding in the 2024 FCT budget, it quickly evolved into a conversation about fairness, heritage, and the cost of development.
