TRENDING VIDEO: ‘They’re eyesores’ — Nwaebonyi seeks demolition of settlements near Abuja airport

Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, senator representing Ebonyi north, says settlements conterminous with the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja are an “eyesore”. 

The deputy chief whip of the senate added that the communities portray the nation in bad light.

Nwaebonyi asked that the ongoing “total infrastructural transformation” in the federal capital territory (FCT) should include a gentrification of the area.

The legislator spoke during plenary last Thursday.

A clip of his submission, and the subsequent exchanges with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, have gone viral.

Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, has suggested to the parliament that villagers near the Abuja airport should be relocated, stating that he does not like seeing old houses when landing there, and that affects the image of the country.😭😭 pic.twitter.com/K4MK1VhFzQ

— People of Ebonyi (@PeopleofEbonyi) May 20, 2025

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“I want the FCT minister to extend his development of the FCT within the surroundings of Abuja airport,” Nwaebonyi said.

“If you are descending into the airport, the type of infrastructure within the environs does not represent a good image of Nigeria, and I think that the FCT minister should capture that in his next budget to either relocate the habitats or renew the area, because the buildings in the community are the mirror of the country.

“As you descend into the Abuja airport, if you consider the view, you will agree with me that it is an eyesore and doesn’t give a good image of the nation.

“I urge all my colleagues to support this important bill that will transform the country.”

Akpabio appeared puzzled by his colleague’s proposal.

“Senator Nwaebonyi, which part of the airport? If you’re coming from the airport, the first place you see on the right is the presidential wing, thereafter you will come across a very beautiful flyover,” Akpabio asked.

“You’ll now descend towards the road that comes to the airport. When you get to the airport road, you’ll see a road completed with streetlights particularly in the night. Very beautiful.”

Nwaebonyi doubled down by saying he was referring to “shanties at the back of the Abuja airport”.

Akpabio was having none of it, however.

“This community is some people’s village. The image of the nation does not start from when your airplane is descending,” the senate president responded.

“So, what happens in a place like Akwa Ibom… when you descend, you see water and creeks. So we should eliminate the creeks in this case?”

Nwaebonyi’s proposal went through a voice vote with the “nays” trumping the “ayes”. The bill was thereafter shot down by the presiding officer’s gavel.

Several informal settlements are located along the Abuja airport road.

Nyesom Wike, FCT minister, once called the settlements a “security threat” and vowed to demolish them.