The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), has refuted a story published by an online news platform alleging that the FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, had given the Executive Secretary, Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmad, 24 hours to explain government’s position concerning the partial demolition of the National Mosque.
The rebuttal is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the Head, Public Relations/Information of the FCDA, Mr. Richard A. Nduul, who stated unequivocally that as far as the FCDA was concerned, the news was fake or at best mixed up by the reporter.According to the statement “there was no time whatsoever that the FCT Minister directed for the demolition of the National Mosque, neither did the Executive Secretary receive any directive pertaining to the demolition of the National Mosque.”
Mr. Nduul explained that what actually happened was that during a courtesy visit on Wednesday by members of the Abuja Mosque Management Committee led by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, “the delegation pleaded with the FCT Minister for more time to develop the two plots of land allocated to the National Mosque by the FCT Administration, one of which (plot 63) is substantially affected by a future road development, the Inner Northern Expressway (INEX) and for which an alternative or replacement is being awaited.”
“This is in view of the recent revocation of land title allocations which have remained undeveloped over time,” he further explained.
Continuing, Mr. Nduul said it was in the light of the above, therefore, that the FCT Minister directed the Executive Secretary, Engr Ahmad, who was also in attendance at the event, to immediately brief him within 24 hours on the issue of the National Mosque Lands.
“It is pertinent to state that the Honourable Minister’s directive to the Executive Secretary was on the status of the lands allocated to the National Mosque, contrary to what the reporter portrays as the demolition of the National Mosque,” he argued.
He disclosed that as a further demonstration of good faith, Barr Wike assured his quests of the support of the FCT Administration in the maintenance of the National Mosque and the National Christian Center, which are National Monuments.
He insisted that the explanation above was true and correct reflection of what transpired, adding, “and this could also be further confirmed from the National Mosque Management Committee.”
He also hoped that the explanation would bring a closure to the so-called National Mosque fallacy.
