Police officers fired teargas to disperse members of the Coalition of Indigenous FCT Contractors who staged a protest at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) secretariat in Abuja over an alleged unpaid debt of N5.2 billion on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.
The contractors arrived early in the morning, blocking the main entrance with a truck.
They chanted the name of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, demanding payment for projects they said were completed.
The protest caused a temporary disruption of activities at the secretariat.
Tension escalated after security operatives requested that the protesters clear the entrance.
When the group refused, police fired teargas canisters to disperse the crowd.
Several protesters were seen coughing and leaving the area as normal operations gradually resumed.
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The contractors said the alleged debt relates to a range of public works, including drain desilting, sewage evacuation, borehole drilling, and the provision of school furniture and medical supplies.
They maintained that the projects were executed but payments remained outstanding.
As of filing, the FCTA had not issued a statement addressing the contractors’ claims or commenting on the police action during the protest.