The Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Abuja, Sarah Omakwu, has appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to halt plans to allocate the Jabi Lake recreation area for private development.
In a video shared on her Instagram page, Omakwu was seen kneeling on the pulpit as she made an emotional plea to the minister, describing the site as an important public space for residents.
She said the Jabi Lake area serves as a hub for exercise, social gatherings, recreation, and youth activities, urging that it should remain accessible to the public.
“I cannot fight the minister, but I am begging as a mother that Jabi Lake Recreation Centre should not be given to anybody,” she said.
She also referenced past urban developments in Abuja, expressing concern over increasing restrictions on public access to recreational spaces.
Despite her appeal, Omakwu praised Wike for ongoing infrastructure projects in the Federal Capital Territory, noting improvements in road networks and mobility within the city.
Her comments come after the FCTA entered into a public-private partnership earlier in the year to redevelop Jabi Lake into a major tourism and leisure destination.
