By Stanley Onyekwere
A joint team of security personnel yesterday averted bloody bath when suspected thugs attacked a combined enforcement squad of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), during a demolition exercise, at Lungi crescent, Wuse II, in Abuja.
It was gathered attempts by the unidentified men who were resisting the demolition of a popular garden, allegedly constructed in the area on a plot earmarked for park allocation, against development plan of the FCTA.
Also, the suspected thugs were already set for war, but the security team dispersed them and doused the tension, even though people in the area were subjected to untold nightmarish experience, as there was human and vehicular traffic gridlock for several hours.
Fielding questions from journalists after the exercise, the Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu said the plot was a park allocation, but the users had violated it.
Shuaibu explained that despite the guidelines provided by FCT Administration for development of parks, the developers have been flouting it.
He added that prior to the demolition, several notices were served to the people, but they refused to comply with the directives.
Also, he described the demolished illegal garden as a black spot where suspected criminals used to hide and unleash mayhem on innocent people especially at nighttime.
However, the AMMC coordinator stated that the Department of Development Control would not allow individuals to convert plots or areas approved for other development to ventures not known to the administration.
According to him: “The plot in question is a revoked one, it does not belong to the person running an illegal garden.
“We had sealed the place for a long time but they owner unsealed it without our consent. We served demolition and revocation notices but they ignore it.
“They removed our seal and continue with their activities, all the neighbours are complaining, from the reports, their customers will come and block their neighbours with cars, making owners of the houses stranded. It is as if there is no law in this country.
“Abuja is a lawful city and we must abide by the law. The Minister of FCT has given us the power and directive for us to ensure that our regulations are fully obeyed”.
