In continuation with its weekend clean-up exercise, the Department of Development Control of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has removed make-shift structures on major road corridors and inside cashew plantation within Apo Resettlement, in Abuja.
FCTA city management officials, accompanied by security personnel stormed the place with its bulldozer and disloged hundreds of artisans, food vendors and petty traders, for allegedly operating in structures that encroached on road corridors, thereby constituting public nuisance in the area.
It was observed that most of the illegal structures demolished along the road corridor and cashew plantation near Urban Shelter and Angwan Tiv, respectively, were marked for removal far back as 2021.
Explaining the operation, the Director, Department of Development Control, Murktar Usman Galadima, said the weekly exercise, targeted at clearing shanties and other structures constituting infractions in the city, followed due process for demolition activity.
Galadima, who described as disturbing the conversion of the cashew plantations into trading and living places, disclosed plans to start removing them.
He said: “As part of our process for demolition, we have to issue notices, which could be by way of written notices.
“So, we are on our weekly clean up exercise targeted at clearing shanties and other illegal structures in the city.
“The cashew plantation in Apo resettlement is overtaken by activities of some persons offering catering services, but from credible intelligence, what is happening is beyond eatery.
“The plantations are now safe havens for criminals”.
To ensure that the shanties don’t return to the same area, the Director said: “We are having new strategies now to make sure that any person trying to go contrary to our regulations, will be prosecuted accordingly. This is unlike before that we will just demolish and go.
“Residents should see us as partners, so they should always notice and report some of these infractions to us, to enable us act swiftly. This will also help to save the city from security challenges” the Director said.
Emmanuel Ukoh
