By Stanley Onyekwere
Rarely, after three weeks break, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has resumed heavy demolition bombardment in Iddo Sarki, removing over 350 illegal buildings.
Iddo Sarki community, few kilometres away from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, is said to have been taken over by desperate investors, who are taking advantage of the community’s proximity to University of Abuja, to build illegal hostles for students.
Chairman, FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah said the break was an understanding FCTA had with some stakeholders, who pleaded for extra time to talk with the community leaders and also enable affected people to relocate.
Attah noted that returning the bulldozers to the Community was very necessary to sustaining the tempo of the sanitation, as the level of illegalities recorded there had become very alarming.
He further explained that FCT Minister had reiterated commitment to the ongoing exercise, as it was part of measures to save the nation’s capital from becoming an undesirable slum.
While he warned all attempts to to distort the master plan will be resisted, he warned that there was no relenting on the proposed demolition of illegal structures at Mpape community.
According to him, enough time and notices have been given to affected people at Mpape, stating that in two weeks time the bulldozers will move in there.
He added that FCTA will not pay any compensation to the victims, who contravened extant laws by building illegally. He however, advised that victims can seek for justice against the sellers of the illegal land.
“ The first notice we give to the people is to stop buying land from the natives, unfortunately, the chiefs have denied selling land to anybody.
“we are not going back in the demolition. After here we are moving to Mpape, Where residents have requested for the demolition.
“Anyone who buy land from the local Chiefs, is doing that in contraventions of the laws and such persons will bear the brunt. Our work is to remove illegalities. Those who were affected can seek for justice against those that sold the illegal land”
Also speaking, Peter Olumuji, from FCTA Department of Security Services, confirmed that the ongoing sanitation and demolition exercise has reduced the rate of crime along the Airport road axis.
Olumuji said that from the statistics recorded at the department, the demolition had dislodged most of the criminals that hitherto held the residents to ransom.
He further assured that FCTA will not relent to ensuring adequate security at all the communities within Abuja.
