Participants at a two – day Legal Roundtable Access to Justice and Human Rights Protection in Nigeria have called on the Nigerian government to urgently create the necessary environment to address the challenges of indigenous peoples, particularly, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) original inhabitants, who wish to live in peace in a just and equitable country.

Indigenous Peoples, including the original inhabitants of FCT, number over 300 million people worldwide. The 9 indigenous tribes in the FCT are Amwamwa, Bassa, Egbira, Gade, Ganagana, Gbagyi, Gbari, Gwandara and Koro

According to a communique issued by Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) at the end of the two-day Roundtable, Indigenous Peoples are distinct people with a long history distinguished by a rich heritage, traditional knowledge, language, spirituality, culture, and civilisations treasured for centuries.

Participants said the FCT Minister’s ban on the issue of customary right of occupancy be vacated immediately, to allow FCT Area Council Chairmen to grant customary rights of occupancy in the FCT.

In addition, they demanded that; “the FCT authority should stop further seizure of Original Inhabitants’ farmland and demolition of their settlements”.

“All statutory provisions should be reviewed to ensure that any future constitutional review includes Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

“To protect their rights, original inhabitants should obtain and preserve all historical documents pertaining to the FCT, litigations and advocacy.

“That FCT original Inhabitants should take popular, democratic, nonviolent actions within the existing democratic space to draw attention to their plight, and that such actions must be peaceful, legal, prompt, and pre-emptive of programmes or projects that may jeopardize their livelihood.

“The FCT Original Inhabitants should strengthen their advocacy, and litigation in defence of their rights.

“Original Inhabitants should take advantage of international legal avenues through which they can put pressure on the Nigerian government to meet it’s regional and international obligations.

“Traditional rulers should advocate for and support the needs of indigenous peoples and communities in Nigeria.

The communique which was signed by Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, Executive Director, CHRICED and Comrade Adewale Adeoye, Chairman, Communique Committee also called on The Original Inhabitants to explore the use of modern information technology to effectively publicize their plight.

“Professional organizations such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ),and other pro-liberty organisations should be more involved in making indigenous issues a priority in Nigeria.

“The FCT Original Inhabitants should collaborate by bringing together all affected community leaders”, the communique stressed.