Abuja Not For Criminals -Wike
By: Wisdom Acka
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the over 8,000 square kilometers of the Territory, is a no place for criminals.
Wike made this declaration on Tuesday during inspection of the site for proposed Mabushi-Katampe road which corridor has been taken over by scavengers.
He directed that all areas that are safe haven for criminals in the nation’s capital must be demolished.
Accompanied on the inspection tour by a combined team of security personnel and senior officials of the FCT Administration, Wike ordered the Department of Development Control to clear the place without delay.
His words: “This place is where people commit crime and come to hide, the Department of Development Control should clear this area immediately so that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) will come in for the necessary things.”
“There is nothing like compensation, Development Control must clear this area immediately so that all these criminals won’t be here. These are places that people will commit crime and run to for cover, and people will say FCT does this and that,” he said.
His words: “We will do everything possible to see that this area is cleaned up, it will make the people here not to be disturbed.”
On his part, Coordinator, Federal Capital Territory City Management Task Team, Mukhtar Galadima, described the exercise as mother of all clean up; vowing that illegal activities would be cleared as directed by the Minister.
Galadima, who is also Director, Department of Development Control, disclosed that, in the Abuja Master plan, “There is provision for different hierarchy of road networks, so this area is a proposed transit road network that transverses the entire city across the districts.”
Galadima explained further: “It is a type of road network that consist of dual mode of transportation. The area is called scavengers colony which is situated within the road corridor of Mabushi and Katampe districts.”
“With the security challenges across the country, illegal activities of this nature will not be allowed. The area will not be allowed to stand,” he added.
“Security is a national issue, it is everybody’s concern, that is why we are not giving consideration to compensation, we have to secure the place. After the clearing, the FCDA will move in immediately, no body will come in and settle again. It is a mother of all exercise because demolition, evacuation and general clean up are involved”, he emphasized.
