An official says the operation was necessitated by the desire of the administration to secure lives and properties in Abuja.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has
demolished over 400 illegal structures that it said constitute security threat
along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road.
The Chairman, FCT Ministerial Committee on City
Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, led the exercise on Sunday in Abuja.
Mr Attah, who led the exercise, said the operation was
necessitated by the desire of the administration to enhance security of lives
and properties in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
demolition, which affected Lugbe-Across, Lugbe-Berger, Car wash and Lugbe Zone
5, lasted for eight hours with heavy security personnel to avoid breakdown of
law and order.
The security team comprised men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Air Force, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, as well as officials of the FCT Department of Development Control.
‘Disturbing reports’
Attah explained that the FCT Administration had received disturbing reports that some illegal makeshift structures were being erected along the Airport Road despite several demolitions.
“Last week we were here and after clearing this place
people have rebuilt some structures. And we cleared many structures again
today.
“This time around we have taken more drastic measures. We
also appeal to some of them who are building back after seven days of clearing
to stop.
”They said they had approached the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for it,” he said.
‘Making Abuja safer’
On his part, the FCTA Director of Security Services,
Adamu Gwary, vowed that the administration “would not fold its hands and watch
criminals overrun the city”.
Mr Gwary said the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, was not
happy with illegal structures posing security threat on the city.
He assured that with the minister’s will to removal of illegal structures would be sustained.
“The FCT Minister is not happy with the development along
the Airport Road and as such he ordered the removal of all activities that will
deface the vicinity and also create security threat to the nation’s capital.
“You can see that there are so many nuisances which come
along with its own security implications. Recently the minister presented a
paper on items vandalised.
“We have the support of the security agencies and all the
departments in FCT are at work. You can see that we came out in the rain, once
there is that go-ahead, there is no going back, we will sustain it.
“If we identify where there is nuisance, we will pencil
it down for operation. It is not only the Airport road but the Airport road, as
you know, is the eye of the city so, we cannot afford to joke with it,” he
said.
Also, the Chief Security Officer to the FCT Minister, Ahmed Rashid, disclosed that the administration had identified strategies that the scavengers, criminals and the illegal settlers are adopting.
“And where they are hibernating, we are dislodging them.
As you can see the security challenges are increasing and we cannot wait until
the criminals enter the main city before we deal with them.
“And where they are hibernating, we are dislodging them.
As you can see the security challenges are increasing and we cannot wait until
the criminals enter the main city before we deal with them.
“We are clearing
all the illegal motor parks to reduce the number of one-chance. We also notice
that they will strike in the city and go back to their safe haven.
”By the time we clear all their safe haven there will be no hiding place for them,” he said.
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