Faced with the difficult task of resettling the original inhabitants of the FCT the Shehu Shagari regime in 1980 set up a Presidential Committee on the Resettlement of the Inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory under the Distinguished Senator A D Rufa’i.
The terms of reference among others were; to determine priorities for mandatory resettlement at places of the inhabitants’ choice and at the expense of the Federal Government; to determine the number of inhabitants who wish to move out voluntarily from Federal Capital Territory; to bring up a plan for the phasing of movement and resettlement in accordance with available funds, and to determine the extent of Federal Government Assistance; to determine priority of resettlement of inhabitants in peripheral towns and villages.
They submitted a comprehensive report with many recommendations which included those of arresting many of the problems being encountered by those peripheral towns and villages. These are the borderline communities on the FCT boundary that geographically are not located within, as such are not affected by relocation according to the terms of reference given to the committee, but their farmlands which are their source of livelihood are located within. Or some of the peripheral communities partly located within the FCT but their chief’s abode or farmlands were outside.
To determine the problems of the inhabitants of the settlements along or on the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory, the committee found it necessary to appoint a special team which was made up of the representatives of the State Governments, the Federal Capital Development Authority and the Surveyor-General of the Federation.
The report mentioned a very vital observation that was made when the committee visited and conferred with the officials of the Niger State Government. As it stated “We wish to seize this opportunity to bring to your notice, Mr. President, that when we paid a courtesy call on the Deputy and Acting Governor of Niger State and later held a meeting with a delegation from Niger State House of Assembly, in each case it was requested that the size of the Territory be reduced in order to minimize the magnitude of the problem of resettlement.
“It is their view that since the location of the City is now established, the size of the Territory can safely be reduced with less inconvenience to the inhabitants of the Capital Territory. This matter, obviously, does not form part of the Terms of Reference of our Committee. We, therefore, have not dealt with it in the main body of the Report”.
The team visited almost all the towns involved in order to ascertain whether or not the settlements or the services being rendered to them are within the Capital Territory. In doing so, it was essential to compare the boundary as contained in the law establishing the Capital Territory as defined by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979 and the boundary of the Federal Capital Territory as contained in the Federal Capital Territory Act No. 6 of 1976. The lark of harmony between the two boundaries delineations in some areas were dealt with.
For example at Izom which was in Suleja (now Gurara) Local Government of Niger State, members observed that there are two points located on the ground, while the boundary line along one of the points would put the whole of Izom inside the FCT, the other would seem to put only one dormitory of the Secondary School inside the FCT and the whole town outside. However, the Federal Surveys representative confirmed that the point which puts Izom out of the FCT is the correct one. However, the greater portions of their farmlands are within the FCT.
Zuba village was in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, members were shown the spot located on the ground by the Federal Surveys and also the boundary lines. It was observed that their farms, schools, health facilities, social center and the District Head’s residence are within the FCT. However, their market facility is at Madalla – a settlement situated about one kilometer outside the FCT.
Also the village of Chizako was in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State. Here, members observed that the village is quite within the FCT, though parts of their farmlands are outside the FCT. In Abuchi in was discovered that the main village is in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State and itwas observed to be in the FCT.
Also the village of Yanyan was in Uke Local Government Area of Plateau (now Nassarawa) State. Though the whole town is within the FCT, their farmlands are partially outside the FCT. Members learnt that the village is within the priority area of the city resettlement exercise. They have their school, social center, and dispensary inside the town, while facilities like markets exist for them at Karu. Karu was also within Uke Local Government of Plateau (now Nassarawa) State. This town is entirely within the FCT though most of their farmlands are outside. The list of villages goes on and on.
In conclusion the committee mentioned, “It was found that the present boundaries of the FCT are not firmly demarcated. It is, therefore, not possible to know all the peripheral villages that are in the FCT. In the cases where the villages are clearly in the FCT, the inhabitants are separated from some of their farmlands, social amenities or traditional leaders”.
Thus among the recommendations were that, “Where affected inhabitants lose any of the facilities or amenities appropriate replacement should be made at the expense of the Federal Government. Arrangements should be made with the authorities concerned to allow those affected to continue farming on their present locations until such time they move or their land is required for other purposes”.