By Daniel Tyokua
The FCT Ministerial Task Force Team on City Sanitation on Wednesday defied the heavy down pour and pulled down places suspected to be safe haven for criminals in Kugbo furniture and Nyanya on Abuja-Keffi express way, and arrested six suspects.
Chairman of the team, Mr Ikharo Attah who led the operation, said the exercise is aimed at tackling reported cases of criminal activities within the area.
He explained that the suspects were arrested with wraps of cocaine during the clean up operation, saying it would help keep the furniture traders in check especially those that have turned the car park and road shoulders into shops.
Attah stated that part of the illicit drugs market in Kugbo known as ‘Bakasi’, was not totally demolished because of the heavy down pour that hindered the mechine from going inside the market.
He regretted that part of the primary school land had been taken over by the drug dealers constituting security threat to residents of the area.
The chairman said, “Considering the significance of reclaiming the area from suspected criminals and drug dealers we were not deterred by the heavy down pour, we removed the shanties, drink joints and part of the illicit drug market to ensure sanity.
“We work under the heavy rain but we were able to achieve much, so we can’t be deterred in our quest to cleaning up the Federal Capital Territory.
“The exercise today help the residents reclaim the school land from criminals. There was a serious encroachment on Kugb school land, by turning it into illegal shops and other things”
The chairman explained that the Nyanya pantaker market which was one of the major security threats especially between Nyanya and Karu valley.
However, the FCTA Secretary command and control, Peter Olumuji said the removal of the shanties would help to curb criminal activities on Kugbo-Nyanya axis.
On human abuses, the field commander FCTA Joint Security Taskforce, CSP Idowu Azeez called on the personnel to always respect human rights during the operation.
