From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Wednesday, started mass demolition of illegal structures behind the old Federal Secretariat at Area I, Abuja.
The Administration in February, 2022 issued a demolition notice to owners of the structures with reminder on 1 March to leave the place.
Speaking to newsmen after the exercise on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister, Attah Ikharo, said the rate of shanties in the area was worrisome and need serious clean up.
He regretted that the secretariat that houses the Ministers of Interior, Trade and Investment have been taken over by the illegal structures which constituted security threat to the nation’s capital.
Ikharo explained that the demolition followed series of complains received about the area from security agencies and strategic persons, recently.
He said: “It is a lot worrisome, we have been receiving series of complains from security agencies and strategic persons, so as part of our efforts to clean the federal capital of shanties we have to start the pulling down of the illegal structures.
“The FCT Administration will not allow shanties to take over ministers of Interior and that of Trade and Investment with other key ministries.
“It would have been done since last year but because of the wet season we had to leave it till now, dry season, even now is not easy but we have to do it. We warned them time without number to vacate the place.”
On claims by owners of the illegal structures that they were Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Borno state, Attah said the IDPs were few in numbers at the fringes of the Dunamis church and near the main road.
However, senator Ali Ndume who represents Borno South in National Assembly, visited the area during the exercise and called for profiling of the IDPs.
Ndume said: ‘We are all Nigerians, we must obey rules and regulations, there is nothing wrong demolishing structures serving as security threat to offices belonging to senior government officials, therefore let all of you that know that you are IDPs write down your names for proper documentation.”