‘Stop Planned Demolition of Our Mosques’-Abuja Community Appeals to Minister

The Muslim Community in the sprawling Wuye District of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to rethink the planned demolition of the only two existing mosques serving the area.
At a media briefing in Abuja Sunday, Chairman of the Muslim Community, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Oyetunji said officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) have written them a letter of notification on the impending demolition.
While acknowledging that Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Muhammad had actually approved that a parcel of land be given to the community to build their house of worship, he however, lamented that certain interests are still preventing the actualization of the project.
Alhaji Oyetunji said: “The Honourable Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Muhammad generously approved allocation of land for the community but some interests are still contending on that. While we appeal to the Federal Government, especially through the FCT Minister to kindly suspend the planned demolition pending the resolution of issues hindering the building of the new mosques on the land approved for the project.
“As a Muslim Community, we have ensured peaceful coexistence in Wuye District through propagation of religious tolerance, mutual respect and also sustaining mutual relationship with security agencies
“If the two mosques are demolished, we will have nowhere to pray as congregating outside the designated places of worship may create suspicion from security agencies especially in this volatile period.
“We strongly appeal to the Hon Minister of FCT to kindly save our mosques that have been in existence for more than a decade years from demolition. We also call on all good-spirited individuals and groups to support the Muslim community with donation towards construction of Central Mosque in the ever expanding district of Wuye.”
Meanwhile our reporter has discovered that some unscrupulous officials of the FCDA have allegedly distorted the master plan of the area by allocating portions of land meant for places of worship and schools to private individuals who then converted such plots into commercial uses.
One such glaring distortion has now led to the redesigning of the entire master plan because it encroached on a major road in the district.