The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has demolished illegal buildings and shanties in Gwarinpa, Abuja, affecting no fewer 15,000 occupants.
The Director, Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, who led the operation in Gwarinpa on Wednesday, told newsmen that the illegal buildings obstructed the construction of Arterial Road N16.
Galadima explained that the road ran from the Federal Secretariat, through Maitama, Katampe, Jahi to Gwarinpa.
He added that the Engineering Department of the FCTA was ready to begin construction on the road as soon as the demolition exercise was completed.
“These are structures that were illegally built on the road corridor and that is why we are removing them for the Engineering Department to begin the construction of the road.
“We have between 10,000 to 15,000 people who are staying here illegally.
“As we are clearing now, engineers are already on standby”, he said.
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The Secretary, Command and Control Center, Department of Security Service, FCTA, Dr Peter Olumuji, said that the affected areas also harbour criminals.
Olumuji added that demolishing the illegal settlements would improve security in Gwarinpa and its environment.
“The shanties we have here harbours a lot of criminal elements that have been terrorising Gwarinpa and its environments.
“We have reported cases of illicit drug and suspected armed robbers that were arrested in this area.
“There is a place even called the Abacha Estate, where the Police have recovered arms and ammunition in times past”, he said.
In the same development, FCTA and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, on Wednesday evicted squatters from under road bridges to curb insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The Senior Special Assistant, SSA, on Environment and Waste Management to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, expressed concern that the target of the founding fathers of Abuja has been misplaced by miscreants who perpetrate crimes.
The SSA disclosed that the architectural structure of the bridges had been tampered with due to the activities of the squatters warning that the miscreants would be punished.
“The FCT is a face of the government of Nigeria and when you come into Abuja it is the place where we have the seat of government.
“It is where the president resides as well as the various embassies and as the capital city of Nigeria it is supposed to be the best city by every standard of human measurement”, he said.
Kpakol assured that the cleared areas would be reverted to the original plan which was to make them green areas.
He added that the places would be kept under intense check, monitoring and surveillance to forestall reoccurrence of shanties by miscreants.
Earlier, Mr Kaka Bello, Deputy Director Monitoring and Enforcement, AEPB said that the FCTA and AEPB had earlier issued eviction notices before the exercise.
“Yesterday was the deadline of the notice given to them so today we are here to enforce the eviction”, Bello said.
He added that the essence of the mop up of all illegal structures is to safeguard government’s infrastructure to ensure security in the FCT.
Credible News reports that the mop up exercise was done along the Ahmadu Bello Express way which cut across Wuse 2, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent close to the DSTV office, and Area 11.
Credible news.ng
