By Stanley Onyekwere
In furtherance of it’s reinvigorated removal of illegal structures along the corridors of Abuja Airport road, officials of the FCT Administration yesterday stormed and demolished illegal structures in Iddo Sabo community, one of the fast growing indigenous settlements in the area.
The affected structures were worship centres, residential buildings, shops and shanties in Iddo Sabo community.
Others include; schools, vocational workshops, block making industries and uncompleted buildings.
The team, comprising of security personnel and relevant agencies of the FCT Administration, also revisited and cleared one worship centre and residential buildings in Iddo Sarki community in the area, to finish what they have been doing in the community in recent weeks.
Explaining the exercise, Chairman, FCT Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation, Comrade Ikharo Attah, said it’s going to be a comprehensive removal of all the infractions in the community especially those near the road corridors.
Attah said: “We have started the exercise in Iddo Sabo. What we did today is like a demolition rehearsal, because we have not really started doing what we are supposed to do here.
“We have to spend time to work here, because of the illegality committed here is really very ugly.
“ A year and half ago, there were very few structures, which hardly see them from the Airport road, but as we speak now, the structures are very massive in their numbers, and it’s a worrisome development.
“ The land was hitherto been used by the locals for farming activities pending when they are fully resettled, are now converted into a massive housing site. “
He, however, advised property developers to desist from acquisition of land from village chiefs, so as to escape consequences of contravening FCT land use Act.
Similarly, Secretary Command and Control Centre, FCTA, Olumuji Peter, noted that the expansion of unplanned settlements in the Territory, poses serious security implications.
According to him, “like we have done in Iddo Sarki, we have come to Iddo Sabo now, and we are ensuring that all those unplanned settlements are being removed.
“Whenever you allow unplanned settlements to expand, it breeds more of criminalities and places for criminals to hibernate”.
