The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Monday commenced massive demolition of illegal structures in Kuje town in the FCT.
The exercise, which was in continuation of ongoing measures to mitigate the proliferation of illegal structures, purportedly obstructing human and vehicular movements in the area, followed months of sensitisation and abatement notices from relevant authorities and endorsement of Kuje stakeholders.
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Officials of the FCTA backed by a heavy security team drawn from the military, police and para-military agencies, stormed the area at about 10am and cleared roadside encroachments from the notorious tipper garage to the Kuje main market.
During the clean-up exercise, which lasted for about seven hours, hundreds of structures, ranging from kiosks, containers, and attachments to stores and worship centres, shanties and signposts encroaching on the road corridors were removed.
It was however observed that some encroached areas were cleared by the owners and occupants before the enforcement team arrived.
Speaking with newsmen, Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, said the exercise was under the minister’s directive and under the guidance of police Commissioner, Sunday Babaji and other security heads in the Territory
According to him, the clean-up would be a week-long exercise, as the security situation in the area is becoming worrisome.
“Today, we have been able to address the issue of roadside encroachment from the tipper garage to the main market, we couldn’t enter the forest market, but we told them to park because that forest is not supposed to be a market while we also touched the fruit market.
“Tomorrow (today), we will be claiming the rail corridor, the entire rail corridor, and keep it safe and children can use it for recreation.’’
On the encroachment of the railway, the SSA explains: “Kuje chiefs and indigenes have denied selling the rail corridor to anyone and we have asked them who sold to them, they can’t say. So we have been directed by the minister to reclaim the rail corridor.’’
By Hafsat Hayatudeen & Ummaima Yakubu
