Human rights activist, Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of allegedly converting public parks in Abuja into residential real estate developments.
Sowore made the statement during a recent interview on Channels Television, on Monday 11 May, 2026, while reacting to his appearance at a church service in Abuja on Sunday.
According to the activist, he rarely attends church services, stressing that his visit was strictly for advocacy and to support efforts aimed at protecting public spaces in the nation’s capital.
His appearance followed a public appeal by Sarah Omakwu, the Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, who urged the FCT Minister not to allocate the Jabi Lake Recreation Area for private development. Reports indicated that the appeal was not granted.
Speaking during the interview, Sowore criticized the minister’s handling of Abuja’s urban development, alleging that several public recreational areas have been handed over to associates and political allies for residential projects.
“The city minister has completely ruined the Abuja master plan by allocating public parks to his friends and cronies. That was the reason I went there,” Sowore stated.
He further explained that the issue goes beyond the Jabi Lake Recreation Area, claiming that many public parks across Abuja have already been converted into housing estates.
“It’s not for Jabi Lake alone. If you go around the city, a lot of these public parks have been taken over by the minister and converted into residential real estate developments that are against international best practices and the Abuja master plan itself,” he added…..See More
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