Gov’t vows to rid Abuja of drug peddlers, others

By Stanley Onyekwere

In continuation with its intensive clean up exercise drive,  the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to rid the nation’s capital city of drug peddling and other criminalities.

This is as the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello directed immediate removal of all shanties, batchers and illegal  structures housing the criminal elements.

Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah said their is no going back on the Minister’s directive as the whole city of Abuja will become one of the best cities in the world.

Attah made this known while briefing newsmen immediately after a clean up exercise in Utako and some parts of Jabi Park, noted that the people have become a torn on the flesh of the administration and we will not take tolerate that. 

According to him, “ This place has been cleared severally in recent years because it was used by drugs lord’s, we have cleared the place over and over again and the people keep coming back to build their shanties and batchers. If this is not checked, they will come back as usual to do their illegal businesses.

“Sadly, owners of the landed property have failed to develop their property and people take advantage of the fallow land to build all manner of shanties and batchers. Yesterday, we went to Utako village to clean the place, to be taking over by its rightful owner, the Nigeria Police .

“ We are going round the city to  clean up the environment, the minister has mandated us to commerce intensive clean up of transportation lapses beginning from the Airport road, we are going to be clearing the areas,  with strong focus on traffic-related violations. 

“The new Director, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Dr Abdulateef Bello as you all know  is knowledgeable about security. He will be leading a comprehensive team to commence massive traffic clean up starting from Monday. There is so much he intends to achieve and we all will be working with him”, he added .

On his part, Assistant Director and Head of Monitoring and Enforcement of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Mr. Kaka Bello said a lot of  scavengers and illegal squatters  are building makeshift shanties that deface the territory.

He said,” We have been here severally to clean up this area and unfortunately, they still come back . We appealed to owners to go and build their property”.

Kaka appealed to property owners to takeover and develop their plots to prevent them from turning into criminal hideouts.