The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has sounded the alarm on what it described as a “silent emergency” — the destructive effects of mining activities on the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Speaking at the launch of a two-year MacArthur Foundation-supported project in Abuja on Tuesday, CHRICED’s Executive Director, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said that mining continues to threaten livelihoods, displace communities, and deepen systemic exclusion in Nigeria’s capital.
“Mining operations have further exacerbated their suffering,” Zikirullahi stated. “While Nigeria’s mining laws mandate Community Development Agreements (CDAs), these have failed to protect the rights of Abuja’s indigenous peoples. The environmental degradation caused by mining, blasting, land destruction, and pollution has led to health crises and the desecration of cultural sites.”
He further decried the longstanding marginalisation of Abuja’s native communities, saying, “Despite the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) being recognized as Nigeria’s 37th state, it lacks the governance structures of other states. Original inhabitants cannot elect a governor or legislature, as the territory is governed by a minister appointed from another state. This political exclusion has denied Abuja’s OIs and residents a voice in decisions affecting their lives, perpetuating systemic discrimination.”
The newly launched project by CHRICED aims to promote the rights of indigenous communities in the FCT through grassroots advocacy, cultural preservation, and documentation of human rights violations. A cornerstone of the initiative is the establishment of the Abuja Native Heritage Centre — a cultural hub for the 17 Chiefdoms of Abuja’s original inhabitants.
Zikirullahi noted that many communities still suffer from the lack of basic amenities. “For women and children, the challenges are even greater — limited access to clean water, inadequate healthcare, and the absence of programs addressing their specific needs.”
“The judicial system has also failed to provide adequate support,” he continued. “Cases of demolitions and land seizures remain unresolved, and affected communities struggle for fair compensation.”
He called on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to amend the constitutional voids denying Abuja’s indigenous people equal democratic rights. “Until decisive action is taken, the injustice endured by these communities remains an open wound in Nigeria’s history,” he said.
Zikirullahi also urged the FCT Administration to “halt the demolition of native homes, address environmental degradation, and prioritise investment in critical infrastructure within original inhabitant communities.”
At the event, CHRICED recognised nine subgrantee organisations working under the new project. They include the Network of Journalists on Indigenous Rights, the Association of Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers, and the Original Inhabitants with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
