By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Joint Task Force Team of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on City Sanitation, on Monday arrested 19 angry protesters who stormed the premises of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, in Wuse, Abuja to disrupt demolition exercise of the Mechanic Village in Kubwa.
The Director of the department, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, disclosed to journalists that the workers in the building were going about their official assignments when the protesters besieged the premises.
Galadima said that 19 of the protesters were arrested for the violent disruption of peace in the area.
He said, “We were having a meeting in a conference hall when we heard some noises. We decided to come and see what was happening and I saw some people with protest placards.”
“Some people were angry that Kubwa mechanic village where they owned shops were demolished by Federal Capital Development Control.”
“But what proof do they have that they have allocations inside the area,” Galadima questioned.
According to him, some of the sponsors of the protest built what they called a mechanic village inside someone’s property, adding that Development Control ordered the demolition of the village.
The director who described the protest as thuggery noted that beyond building on illegal property, the action became necessary following a series of complaints of encroachment in the particular space by the rightful owners.
“This is a breach of peace, and they should be prosecuted.”
“We are also going to find out who among our officers gave out the area for the development of a mechanic village. The officers involved must be dealt with accordingly,” he said.
Also speaking, the Secretary, FCTA’s Command and Control, Dr Peter Olumuji, said that the task force was out on enforcement duty when the distress call came in from development control over the protest.
“We abandoned what we were doing and dash to the scene immediately and on getting here, we saw the protesters attempting to vandalise the premises, vehicles, and assault development control officers.”
“We have been able to arrest 19 of them and will be taken to Utako Police Division for proper investigation and possible prosecution,” he added.
