By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation has raided some forests in Abuja and arrested 15 hoodlums suspected to be part of the recent violence at Dei-Dei building materials market.
During the raid at Jiwa, Kagini and Kaba forests near Dei-Dei on Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah said the administration was disturbed by increasing activities of scavengers in the area.
Attah explained that some residents had confirmed the involvement of the scavengers in the Dei-Dei crisis, following crimes that were traceable to them.
He said the measure was to calm the tension that followed the bloody clash at Dei-Dei, resulting into loss of lives and property.
According to him, the forests are said to be notorious hideouts from where miscreants were reportedly recruited to unleash mayhem in the areas.
The Sarkin Jiwa, HRH Alhaji Idris Musa who supported the raid, also confirmed the allegations that the forests harbour criminal elements who disturb the peace of the communities.
He decried a situation where scavengers are often found to be moving around with dangerous weapons and attacking innocent residents.
According to him, the operation will be extended to other places where these criminal elements are, to guarantee maximum safety and security for all residents.
Attah added that FCTA had no plans to stop legitimate business of waste collection and recycling, but have the responsibility to tackle the crimes and criminals operating under anu guise.
“We got intensive complaints about insecurity around Jiwa axis and communities that have come under attacks by people believed to be baban bolas. This areas is also notorious as it was the place where two police officers were ambushed and their rifles were also taken away, before they were later recovered” he said.
