Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Residents of Angwa Dio and Angwa Shibaba in Tungamaje, a community on the outskirts of Abuja, have been given until Wednesday, August 12, 2026, to vacate their homes following a directive reportedly issued by the Nigerian Army. The Army has marked more than 30 houses for demolition across the two communities, leaving families stranded and uncertain about where to go. The residents were initially ordered to leave by Saturday, August 8, but an intervention by stakeholders secured a five-day extension—a reprieve that has done little to ease the panic gripping the community.
When community members pleaded for more time, they were met with a chilling response: the order came from above and nothing could be done about it. "The Nigerian Army have now taken unprecedented steps. They gave quit notice to people asking them to leave and when community members pleaded, they were told the order was from above and nothing could be done about it," a community source told SaharaReporters. The Army has vowed to return in full force after the grace period expires to ensure the demolition of the marked houses.
The latest eviction order is the most recent escalation of a long-running dispute between Tungamaje residents and the Nigerian Army over land ownership and access to farmlands. The conflict dates back to at least 2009, when the Nigerian Army asserted ownership over land in Tunga Maje, alleging it had been allocated to them for military purposes. Despite various interventions and legal proceedings, the dispute remains unresolved. Residents have repeatedly accused Army personnel of using their uniforms to oppress locals, chase them off ancestral lands, and even rent out the seized properties to third parties.
The situation has grown increasingly desperate. In May 2026, residents raised an alarm over what they described as the forceful eviction of people from their ancestral lands by personnel of the Nigerian Army. "This time, it's not just the Army authorities alone, but personnel who have turned themselves into landowners. They come independently, drive people away from their lands and thereafter take possession of them," an angry resident told SaharaReporters. Some military personnel have allegedly gone as far as renting out the lands after chasing the original owners away.
Farming, the main source of income for Tungamaje residents, has been severely disrupted. Farmers have been turned back from their farms by soldiers who insisted they had no right to cultivate land they had farmed for years. Some residents have even been required to complete documentation and pay N40,000 before being allowed to farm on their ancestral lands. The timing of the eviction order is particularly devastating, coming during the ongoing farming season when families depend on their harvests for survival.
The National Assembly has previously intervened in the dispute. In October 2025, the Nigerian Army ordered residents to vacate their homes ahead of planned demolition operations. The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions stepped in following complaints from affected residents and directed the Army to halt demolition activities while the petition was under review. A hearing was scheduled for December 8, 2025, but the Nigerian Army asked for more time to gather documents. The matter was later rescheduled for January 28, 2026.
Despite the National Assembly's intervention, the Army has continued its campaign. In March 2026, residents accused the military of blocking them from erecting new structures on their land, with restrictions applying even to properties not affected by earlier demolitions. Army personnel have reportedly been issuing verbal threats and stopping residents who attempt to begin new construction projects. The National Assembly had planned another meeting with residents and the Army, but the military representatives did not show up.
Earlier demolitions have already left deep scars. In April 2025, soldiers stormed Tungamaje around 2 a.m. and demolished homes without warning. Parts of a community workshop centre used for training and orientation programmes were also destroyed. "They came around 2 a.m. and demolished houses. People have now been displaced, with parents forced to send their children to different places because they can no longer survive," a resident said in despair. The emotional toll has been unbearable. "Some persons in the communities affected by the demolition have died; they lost hope and gave up," another source confided to SaharaReporters.
Tungamaje comprises 24 communities, all reportedly facing similar threats. Displaced families are now seeking shelter wherever possible—makeshift tents, rented dilapidated buildings, or sending children to relatives far away. "Where do we go from here? My children have nowhere to sleep, and my wife cries every night. We have written letters to many places, from the office of the Vice President to the FCT Minister asking for intervention, but nothing has come," a resident said.
As the Wednesday deadline approaches, the residents of Angwa Dio and Angwa Shibaba are left with an impossible choice: abandon their ancestral homes or face the full force of the military. With more than 30 houses marked for demolition and the Army citing orders from above, the future of Tungamaje hangs in the balance.
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