By Joyce Remi-Babayeju me
In an ongoing operation to sanitize the territory, the FCT Administration, FCTA Task team on a demolition exercise has cleared a total of 3,197 shanties , illegal structures and crushed 1,292 commercial motorcycles , commonly known as okada, in the last two weeks.
Likewise, a total of 123 illegal structures were cleared at Katampe Extension and Guzape Districts and total of 3,074 shanties were removed and cleared at Durumi I, II, III, Monkey Viilage, Dagba, the Illegal IDP Camp at Durumi District and under some bridges in the Federal Capital City (FCC).
Furthermore, the total of 1,292 commercial motorcycles were arrested, impounded and crushed openly in various Districts where their operations were banned in line with the Court’s forfeiture order obtained.
Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Shehu Hadi Ahmad yesterday at a joint press briefing on removal of illegal structures and all forms of criminality in the Territory, , said the removal exercise was to ensure the safety and security of the FCT residents and maintain high standard of living of the residents devoid of any threats.
Ahmad said that the Task Team mobilized all necessary tools like human and material and commenced the removal of such identified nuisances, which culminated into the following successes recorded between 9th – 22nd December 2022.
According to him, FCTA had observed with great concerns the increase in illegal developments in some parts of the FCC, flagrant disrespect to the ban on the operation of Commercial Motorcycles and proliferation of shanties and illegal settlement in the guise of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
He explained that most affected districts with such illegal developments concerns are Guzape, Katampe Extension and Lugbe Airport Road. Areas with shanties in the guise of IDPs includes Durumi, Wasa and Kuchigoro.
“Areas with disturbing activities of Commercial Motorcycle operation includes and not limited to Airport Road, Durumi, Kubwa, Asokoro Extension and Guzape Districts.”
“Such concerns no doubt exacerbate security challenges, affects the aesthetic of the city as well as contravenes the approved Master Plan of the City which invariably create bottlenecks in the management of the City.”
Ahmah also recalled that the FCTA Management, under the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello resolved to address such anomaly and restore the confidence of the FCT residents on the Administration, directed him to lead other stakeholder Departments and Agencies to ensure that such anomalies are squarely addressed.
Daybreak reports that the Executive Secretary FCDA’s led Task Team consists of Coordinator AMMC, Senior Special Assistant to Hon. Minister FCT on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Directors of Departments of Development Control, Security Services FCTA, Urban and Regional Planning, Lands Administration, AGIS, Survey and Mapping, Engineering Services FCDA.
Others are Resettlement and Compensation, Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Parks, and Recreation and Chief Security Officers (Police and DSS) to FCT Minister, which duly identified all the concerned location and mapped out strategy for effective removal of such illegalities.
