In continuation of its operations against criminal activities, authority of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA ) has demolished a taxi park, reportedly turned to drug addicts colony and home for many other criminal elements.
The Administration said the place, located at Nicon junction in Maitama district, was supposed to be an interchange by the Abuja Master plan, but temporarily made a taxi park, to mitigate the hardship of commuters.
The Director, FCTA Security services department, Adamu Gwari, said the taxi park had not only turned to environmental nuisance, but a security threat that can’t be allowed.
Gwari who led other officials in the demolition exercise, also noted that in view of the persistent insecurity across the country, the administration was prepared to deal with all potential danger to residents.
According to him, ” in line with the city programme this place is a taxi rank, but it has been highly abused and turned nuisances. That is why we have to remove everything. This place has become a security threats and it breeds criminality, there are series of concerns from the residents as regarding the rate of criminality which emanates from this place”.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah said FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello was worried and pained that government’s efforts towards alleviating residents transportation difficulties was scuttled by miscreants.
Attah explained that the Ministerial directive to immediately demolish the taxi park, was meant to promptly address a brewing insecurity within the highbrow Maitama district, saying the park was terribly abused.
He added that, a place magnanimously provided by government to ease residents movement, unfortunately, had turned to a hiding place for drug addicts.
The Chairman vowed that the contravention won’t be allowed to remain an environmental nuisance and also breed insecurity within the neighbourhood and the territory at large, noting that
He also added that all relevant Departments and Agencies have directed to ensure that the nuisance does not return to the place.
” This place is supposed to be an interchange according to the plans, but temporarily turned to a taxi rank to manage transportation problem, but the place was badly abused. The place was turned to home for drug addicts and has become very dangerous for the neighbourhood here.
” The Minister was was clear when he gave a marching order that this nuisance he removed. The taxi rank has become a contravention that can’t be allowed.
” All the concerned department will ensure that the nuisance does not come back here, because this place is the heart of Maitama district.
” The Minister has ordered that we should green the place, to add to aesthetic of the city“, Attah noted.
Nnenna.O
