By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) joint Task force involved in the ongoing demolition of illegal structures in Kuje Area Council said most of the forests in the area pose security threat.
This, they said has become a set back to stakeholders’ efforts in the fight against insecurity, as the forests serve as hideouts to criminal elements.
During a dialogue meeting with the strategic stakeholders at the weekend, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Ikharo Attah, told Kuje community leaders that the administration was not against people owning economic trees, but frown at anything that breaches security.
Attah said that the discovery startled security agencies’ component of the task force, and that they have complained of the risk it portends to residents of Kuje.
“We saw cashew forest thicker than Amazon forest. Where security operatives raised alarm that during operation nobody can see through the forest, even in the afternoon”, Attah noted.
He warned that during the one week long exercise at Kuje, every illegalities that constitute threat to national security would be addressed in accordance with the Urban and Regional Planning laws of FCTA.
While he urged all stakeholders, including community, political, religious and traditional leaders in Kuje to continue to support government’s policies, he also allayed the growing fears that FCTA initiated clean up exercise to take over indigenous people’s land.
He added, ” the FCTA is not coming to take any land from anyone in Kuje, the one FCTA will reclaim is the rail corridor which belongs to everyone, we don have any other land we are claiming. The land that belongs to the people should be left for the council to develop it, for the people.
“Let all of us join hands together and ensure the development of Kuje. We are not coming to hurt you, we just want you to do the needful. And the beauty is that everyone has a place”.
The Gomo of Kuje, HRH Haruna Jibrin has pledged to continue to support every legitimate operations that will provide security and restore order in the town.
The traditional ruler who was represented at the meeting by the Palace Secretary, Bokos Usman noted that he will also remain committed to the implementation of all government policies that promote peaceful coexistence.
