The officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday chased out illegal occupiers of land belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and other infrastructure development in Lugbe.
The area, popularly known as Timber Shield Market, Lugbe, is illegally occupied by timber dealers, scavengers, and other sellers of low-value items.
Fielding questions from journalists after the demolition of the shanties, the Director Department of Development Control Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mukhtar Galadima, said the operation was an ongoing exercise of city cleaning and removal of illegal structures.
He said the area is a corridor of ring road 3 that connects Gwarimpa and the public service institute along onex as well as links Siraji to the Apo mechanic area.
Galadima noted that prior to the demolition exercise, several notices were served on the occupies, followed by meetings with the traders and some key stakeholders.
He said: “The area is behind a high tension line, TCN had awarded the contract for the energization of the power line, and the illegal structures must be removed before the commencement of the work.
“Prior to the operation, we had invited all the traders and stakeholders for a meeting, and we briefed them on our intention. They were given enough time to relocate so that the work would commence about two months ago. We are going to sustain it, nobody will be allowed to return to the area”
Collaborating, the secretary of command and control centre, FCTA, Peter Olumuji, said the cleanup will help in securing lives and property in Lugbe and its environs.
Olumuji said the administration was committed to fighting activities that would pave the way for crime and would not be allowed the unapproved area to exist when he said: “The clean up exercise will help in securing lives and property in Lugbe and its environs.
“Aside from what the Transmission Company of Nigeria is going to do, it will also help to reduce the crime rate within the axis because the place harbour a lot of criminal-minded individuals”
According to him, the exercise also renews the FCT Administration’s war against drug dealers and other ill activities, gaining ground in the area.