By Omoniyi David
Before the creation of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), much of what is now Abuja was an expansive, largely undisturbed natural landscape rich in diverse flora and fauna.
Records show the area was dominated by park savannah, riverine forests and thick undergrowth, with pockets of dense woodland.
Residents recall that before 1976, families regularly travelled to Kuje and Wuse to fall mahogany, iroko and other trees for sawmilling businesses in Suleja, then the region’s main urban centre.
The development of the FCT brought sweeping changes, displacing both indigenous communities and wildlife from their ancestral habitats.
Early settlers recount frequent encounters with animals as urban expansion encroached on long-established natural ecosystems, particularly in the first developed districts of Garki and Wuse.
Malam Suleiman Gora, a pioneer civil servant, recalled living in temporary caravans in Suleja before moving into one of the first government houses in Garki.
He said residents lived in constant fear of snakes and other wildlife emerging from surrounding bushes, recounting a narrow escape from a snake that struck his door as he rushed indoors.
These accounts underscore Abuja’s dramatic transformation from a thriving natural ecosystem to a modern capital, highlighting the environmental and human costs of rapid urban development.
