Kuchibedna: Tears as FCTA Taskteam demolishes brothels, worship centres

By Stanley Onyekwere

Tears flowed profusely yesterday in Kuchibedna community, in Gwarinpa district, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), following the commencement of demolition of structures, for allegedly encroaching on right of way of major road infrastructure in the area.

Our correspondent reports that several dislodged men and women shed tears as two Bulldozers  cleared their structures, hitherto used for residential and commercial activities, in the unplanned settlement, near the official residence of the FCT Minister.

Also, most of the affected structures were worship centres, brothels, makeshift open market, residential buildings, viewing centres and  shanties, purportedly serving as criminal hideouts in the community.

It was gathered the exercise was carried out by the FCT Ministerial Taskteam on City Sanitation, following the expiration of one month demolition notice. 

Explaining the exercise, Chairman of the Taskteam, Comrade Ikharo Attah said the affected structures were standing on the right of way for a major Ring road infrastructure in the District.

Attah also disclosed that some of structures hitherto served as hideouts for criminals terrorising the community and environs.

He noted that they were duly notified by the Department of Development Control, as everywhere is fully marked over a month ago.

According to him, “The ring road 3, which is heavily built upon, and sadly people bought land there, and we felt it’s time to come and remove all the encumbrances on the road, which we had warned and given them adequate notice. 

“We are taking our road alignment back, otherwise it will be very bad in the future when we want to build the road.

“It happens also that the place poses to be a very dangerous den along this indigenous community. So we are removing the whole illegalities on this road, and if we can’t finish it today, we will come back.”

However, reacting to the development, Chief Habakkuk  Gozhewo, the chief of Galadima Gwarinpa 2, AMAC, who described the exercise as a very sad incident, because they were taken aback, as there was no adequate notice, as some indigenous houses were demolished.

He appealed to the FCT Administration to suspend the demolition exercise to give room for further engagement with the people as it has affected almost everybody in the community.

Similarly, Muazu Lawan, who identified himself as Secretary of traders in the market, who admitted that the FCTA officials had last month carried out marking exercise in the community, but they were not given a reminder. 

“ The land where the market was built is not for government as it belongs to the indigenes, who are our landlords.

“My appeal to the government is that this has happened, so if there is a place like this in another place, we should be considered for relocation, in order to continue our trading activities”, he stated.