The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced its resolve to dismantle all illegal settlements and shanties within Abuja.
FCTA cited them as havens for criminals and obstacles to developmental projects.
The FCTA stated that its ongoing crackdown on these criminal hideouts will continue.
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This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media.
FCTA expressed alarm over the security situation in parts of the Durumi District and Area 1 in the Garki District.
FCTA highlighted a surge in “high-level criminal activities such as robbery, carjacking, drug peddling and other heinous crimes” that pose a significant threat to law-abiding residents.
To address this issue and ensure a safer FCT, Minister Nyesom Wike has established a Stakeholders Committee that includes heads of security agencies, FCTA officials, Civil Society Organisations, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
At a recent committee meeting, it was determined that the shanties in Area 1, Durumi, have not only prevented land allottees and the government from utilising their properties but have also become operational bases for criminals, including kidnappers, drug dealers, and “one-chance” operators.
FCTA recalled a security operation conducted in Area 1, Durumi, three months ago, which resulted in the arrest of over 120 suspects and the recovery of seven stolen vehicles, 79 stolen motorcycles, and 155 ATM cards.
The ATM cards were identified as belonging to victims of “one-chance” operators who used the settlement as their base.
Although some of the shanties were cleared during the previous operation, they have since been rebuilt, and the criminals have regrouped, making the area unsafe for residents.
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FCTA also noted that these makeshift structures are built on lands that were allocated more than 20 years ago, preventing the allottees and government agencies from developing their properties.
As a result, the FCTA has initiated a new wave of clearing shanties in the city centre, with the illegal settlements in Area 1, Durumi, slated for demolition soon.
