FCTA flags off massive end of year demolition exercise

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday flagged off the massive end-of-the-year demolition to restore violations and infringement of the Abuja Master Plan.

The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Egr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad who flagged off the massive demolition exercise on behalf of the Minister, Malam, Muhammad Musa Bello reiterated the commitment of the administration’s determination to demolish all illegal structures and encroachments contravening the Abuja Master Plan.

Addressing security personnel drawn from various military and paramilitary agencies, said they are going all out to restore all illegal structures and encroachments in the nation’s capital.

According to him: ” There are a lot of cases of violations and infringement of the Master Plan. All we are doing is to ensure that Abuja is sanitized, people cannot continue illegally with impunity. Wherever we identify as illegal settlements, we are bringing them down.

“Malam Musa Bello, the FCT Minister, has mandated us with the Directors of concerned departments in FCTA to come and meet you and identify with your course which is to sanitize the city to be the delight of the new capital city we desire which was the dreams of our forefathers.

“With the number of security men we have on the ground now, shows our readiness and we should try as much as possible to obey the rules of engagement guiding the operation”, he said.

Also, the FCTA Director of Security Services, Mr Adamu Gwary, enjoined the security officers to be guided by the rules of engagement during the operation, we are expecting that at the end of the day we will have a sanitized city.

He, however, hinted that there would be pockets of resistance during the enforcement exercise, we don’t need to tell you about your roles in this kind of situation. There should be a lot of arrests.

Gwary said there are people who are feeding on this kind of illegal activity. ” Your commanders has been all briefed before this address, we expect nothing but the best of this outing. We are professionals in our areas of endeavour ”

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah said what we are doing is what all of us will benefit from. Demolition and illegalities have gone beyond the function of Town planners,

Saying, demolition is purely an issue of security. When you clear the shanties remove illegalities and follow what the town planning has set for you then you can go and sleep with your two eyes close. It will make our jobs a lot easier because the criminals will not have a place to hide.

On his part, CSP Adebayo Solomon promised to give their best during the enforcement exercise.

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