Traders protest police invasion of Abuja computer complex

Traders and allottees of the Abuja Zone 3 Computer Complex Thursday held a protest decrying a Wednesday night invasion of the facility by the police, alleging that it was masterminded by the developer who is billed to rebuild the facility.

The protesters, who carried placards, accused the Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL) of providing security cover for the developer in the night to start work of annexing their parking lot to shops and consequently demolish their present shops even when they were yet to reach an agreement.

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A shop owner, Gbenga Adebayo, who spoke to journalists, said some attached shops previously built at the site were pulled down during the time of former FCT minister, Nasir el-Rufa’i.

Adebayo said, “I wonder why they would want to go on with a similar project now even when a court has issued an injunction order against that.’’

Another trader, Innocent Ekwere, who said they invested billions of naira on the facility, said, “We would hold the developer and AICL responsible for anything that happens here, like fire outbreak. Hence, we call on the FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, to intervene.’’

Reacting, the managing director of AICL, Abubakar Pai, who admitted that the matter was in court, asked for time to react.