The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sustained its ongoing demolition of illegal structures, markets as well as shanties built on roads and rail corridors in Abuja.
This is as the joint task team comprising FCTA Senior officials, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Services (DSS), Directorate of Road Traffic Services, and Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), on Friday stormed the rail corridor in Gwarinpa area of Abuja unannounced to commence demolition of shanties, market and batchers defacing the satellite town, arresting criminals too in the process.
Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Comrade Ikharo Attah immediately after the cleanup exercise in Gwarimpa said the shanties were not only cleared but also burnt to ashes to prevent a comeback of the illegal structures and market.
He said: “We are here for several reasons, the first one is that there have been a series of complaints over this place.
“Secondly, the issue of city Sanitation is a problem here and general issues of insecurity here. This is the Hayari kasua market we cleared it last year and this year we have come again to clear it because the traders returned.
“The Police Commissioner, Sunday Babaji and Police DPO in Gwarimpa have gotten reports of criminal activities going on here, residents have complained very bitterly of persons trying to hide here as cover to rob neighbourhoods and that has been very alarming.
“Today, some arrests were made of people carrying illicit drugs and were arrested by the NDLEA of the Command and Control JTF team under the CP of FCT and the DC Bernard Iwe.
“The Police also arrested three suspected criminals and the NDLEA arrested two people peddling drugs. This is a big task, but we are not given up. We will keep coming until they stop coming. We came under the rain for the enforcement,” he explained.
Responding to a question on why the land was not put to its original use, Attah said, “The land belongs to FCT Administration and was designed as a transit part connecting the Kubwa outer northern road, that it has not been awarded does not mean that people should encroach on it and build offensive market, batchers and shanties that serve as a criminal hideout.
“The park and recreation are aware of it, and the police had advised that the administration should build a fence around it. To keep out intruders.”
When questioned on the issue of sustainability, he said, “last year, we cleared this place, and we are here today, we will keep coming until the criminals and those breaking the laws learn to stop seized to come back. Gwarimpa will take us up to a week.
“Gwarimpa will take us one week, Kuje is still a work in progress and Npape is beckoning, Airport road is a constant place of operation and everywhere around the city is calling for clean up.”
Meanwhile, traders were seen salvaging their wares as motorcyclists were making brisk business, while some traders were in tears.
In a related development, officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have arrested an illegal developer for acquiring, building, and selling lands and property that contravene the land act at the Katampe extension area of Abuja.
The Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu on Friday, told journalists that the arrest followed the failure of the developer, who identified himself as El- Samuel, Managing Director of New World Smart Homes, to consult the Department of Development Control for approval before development.
He described the building and selling of the lands without the consent of the constituted authorities as a high level of illegality being perpetrated by some developers who obtained lands in the Federal Capital City and are using the documents to fraudulently sell unapproved land to people, defrauding them of their money in disguise.
Shuaibu explained that the AMMC approved plot 17,543ha of plot 3173B19 at Katampe extension District to the Sahara Developer only, not any other developer.
The coordinator revealed that its site officers and several inspections showed that the developer had obstinately continued to develop other adjoining lands without the FCTA’s approval.
“The information we gathered from our site officers and several visits to confirm the reports revealed that the Developer had obstinately continued to develop other adjoining lands without the FCTA’s approval. When we approached him, they cunningly presented documents of the approved side for the processing of the unapproved side of the area.
“FCT Land Acts does not condone the contravention of its Land use. Then the riot laws were read to them but these developers have refused all invitations to bring their original documents, they have deviated from the stipulated building plan approval.”
The alleged fraudulent developer pleaded not guilty: “we have not started development, we only cleared the site and commence work to know the title holder before going for real approval, and this was done through the consent of our lawyer,” El-Samuel alleged.
The suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation.
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