Demolition in Nigeria

Families in Mpape say they struggle even to keep their children in school and cannot afford to move. (Heather Murdock for VOA)

John Odewale, who heads the Mpape resident’s association, says the town was marked for destruction last summer by hundreds of armed men. (Heather Murdock for VOA)

Most of the buildings in this market in Mpape will be demolished if the courts decide against the town in a case that begins April 15. (Heather Murdock for VOA)

Some buildings were already destroyed when the court ordered a halt to the demolition last summer. Lawyers for Mpape are expected to present a human rights argument rather than dispute the legal ownership of the land. (Heather Murdock for VOA)

Abuja's meticulously planned city center began developing in the 1980s when officials decided to name the city Nigeria's new capital. The city is in central Nigeria making it accessible to both north and south. (Heather Murdock for VOA)