FCTA CLEARS OVER 1,000 SHANTIES IN KARSANA TO BOOST SECURITY

By: Wisdom Acka

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has cleared more than 1,000 shanties along the proposed Ring Road 3 corridor near MAP Global Estate in Karsana.

Director, Department of Development Control, Tpl. Muktar Galadima, who disclosed this after the Operation Sweep Abuja exercise in Karsana on Monday, 25th August, 2025, explained that it was part of FCTA’s citywide sanitation and security enhancement efforts.

He stressed that the operation targeted the removal of all squatter settlements housing individuals of “questionable characters,” particularly around the Bunkuru District, popularly known as Gwarinpa.

The Director decried that the 2-kilometer stretch of road, intersecting with the N16 highway, has become a hotspot for criminal activities, prompting the clearance.

Commenting on the question of whether the government was planning to develop the road, Galadima, who stated that the N16 highway was under construction, while Ring Road 3 awaits awarding, vowed that the FCTA would ensure continuous monitoring to prevent re-encroachment.

However, he explained that structures belonging to members of the indigenous communities were exempted, pending verification by the Department of Resettlement and Compensation.

Director, Security Service, FCTA, Adamu Gwary, who was represented by Dr. Peter Olumuji, noted that the operation aligned with broader efforts to rid the FCT of illegal settlements, including ensuring the displaced squatters from relocating to other areas in the outskirts.

According to him, the area had been identified as a security threat, with criminals using shanties as cover, adding that no arrests were made.