Displaced Nigerians Fight for Land Rights in Capital City Development

As Nigeria's bustling commercial capital Lagos struggles with overpopulation and infrastructure challenges, the federal government has sought to alleviate the burden by building a new administrative capital city from scratch. But for the thousands of people who once called the Abuja region home, the grand vision of a modern metropolis has come at a steep personal cost.

Many of those displaced by the capital's construction say the government has failed to fulfill its promises of adequate compensation and resettlement. Some accuse authorities of forcibly evicting them without warning, leaving families homeless and robbing them of their ancestral lands. Residents now demand a voice in shaping the future of the city built upon their former homes.