by Ogbeni Olawale Dawodu, Abuja-
The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has been accused of peddling lies and carrying out a vindictive demolition against Jazz and Blues Entertainment, owned by retired Air Commodore Abayomi Balogun, a decorated veteran known for discipline and integrity.
On July 10, bulldozers from the Mr. Mukhtar Galadima–led Development Control team stormed the Panorama Recreational Park in Wuse Zone 3, leveling Jazz and Blues in what many now describe as a “hurried and targeted” exercise.
In a statement defending its action, FCDA claimed the lounge was nothing but “a shanty and a haven for criminals,” insisting it had served quit notices in 2024, January 2025 and June 2025.
But furious sources dismissed the allegations as “false and disgraceful,” pointing fingers at a festering feud between the management of Panorama Recreational Park, led by Barr. Godwin Idiagbonya, and the lessee, Mr. Segun Akinyele.
“This was not about law and order. It was a targeted humiliation of a war veteran,” one insider told Paparazzi Online.
Investigations show that since moving into the park in March, Air Cdre Balogun had in fact worked hand-in-hand with the Nigeria Police in Zone 3 to flush out miscreants who had long plagued the area. Records reveal he repeatedly alerted police officers whenever he noticed illegal activity around the premises.
“How can a man of his pedigree, a retired general known for zero tolerance to illegality, be accused of running a criminal hideout?” a community leader fumed.
Even more damning, documents sighted by Paparazzi Online indicate that FCDA’s letters on “illegalities” were addressed to Panorama Recreational Park’s management, not Jazz and Blues or Balogun. Yet, only his structure, along with a small adjoining building was razed, while every other facility in the park was left untouched and remains fully operational.
“This selective demolition smacks of vendetta,” another source said. “Why single out Jazz and Blues? Why humiliate a veteran who should be celebrated for his sacrifices to Nigeria?”
Balogun, who has long supported military widows, orphans of fallen heroes and needy ex-soldiers battling PTSD, now faces the collapse of his humanitarian work. His Jazz and Blues business was his only means of sustaining the Green Heroes Foundation and providing free psychological counselling sessions in partnership with Blue Rays Therapy.
“This is not just about a building. They’ve tried to silence a man who has given everything to this country,” supporters said, calling on well-meaning Nigerians to rally behind the veteran.
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Pressure is now mounting on the FCDA to explain why Mr. Mukhtar Galadima’s Development Control unit allegedly overreached its powers, targeted a decorated officer, and left the rest of Panorama Recreational Park untouched.
