By Stanley Onyekwere
In a bid to mitigate increasing criminal activities at the suburbs of Abuja, the FCT Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation yesterday raided and dismantled scavengers’ camp and illegal markets along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, in Lugbe area of the nation’s capital city.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah, who led the exercise, disclosed that the babanbola activities with the illegal markets were constituting nuisances.
He explained that Lugbe Federal Housing Authority Estate junction phase 1&2, Lugbe by Berger yard are very sensitive areas that need to meet up with the best standards, therefore illegal acts would not be allowed to continue in the areas.
Attah said the minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Bello after inspecting the area with the Taskforce team at the weekend, had reminded the team on the need to insist on maintaining sanity on the Airport.
He disclosed that many of the demolished illegal shanties were suspected criminal hideouts, where hoodlums freely smoke marijuana and other illicit drugs.
According to him: “We cleared shanties and scavengers on the Airport road some times ago but suddenly the illegal activities are gradually returning.
“The Minister of FCT visited Lugbe area at the weekend, and directed that serious action must be taken.
“The FCT commissioner of police Sunday Babaji, who plays key role in the operation, also insisted that all the illegal activities that pave way for criminal acts on the road must be checked.
“Innocent members of the public, who have been complaining bitterly about activities of these unbecoming activities around Lugbe on the Airport Road, can now sleep with their two eyes closed.”
A trader, whose structure was affected by the demolition, Mrs. Rukiyat Abiodun decried the frequent dislodging of their shops by the FCT officials, saying the government should consider the traders plight.
She said: “Demolishing of our shops is not good, there should be a way of checking activities of the babanbola”.
Another residents, Emmanuel Aigbokhai said the exercise will stop criminal activities caused by the scavengers and illegal markets around the area.
