By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has said all areas suspected to be safe haven for criminals in the territory must be demolished.
Wike stated this on Tuesday when he inspected the site for proposed Mabushi-Katampe road corridor that is taken over by scavengers.
The Minister who was accompanied by combined team of security personnel and senior officials of FCT Administration, called on the Department of Development Control to clear the place without delay.
Wike said: ” This place is where people commit crime and come to hide, the Department of Development Control should clear this area immediately, so that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) will come in for the necessary things.
“There is nothing like compensation, development control must clear this area immediately, so that all these criminals won’t be here.These are places that people will commit crime and run down here for cover, and people will say FCT does this and that.
“We will do everything possible to see that this area is clean up, it will make the people here not to be disturbed”
On his part, the coordinator Federal Capital Territory City Management Task Team, Mukhtar Galadima who described the exercise as mother of all clean ups, said the illegal activities will be cleared as directed by the Minister.
Galadima who is also the Director, Department of Development Control, said In the master plan of Abuja, “There is provision for different hierarchy of road networks, so this area is a proposed transit road network that transverses the entire city across the districts.
“It is a type of road network that consist of dual mode of transportation.The area is called scavengers colony which is situated within the road corridor of Mabushi and Katampe districts.
“With the security challenge across the country, illegal activities of this nature will not be allowed. The area will not be allowed to stand.
“Security is a national issue, it is everybody’s concern that is why we are not giving consideration to compensation, we have to secure the place.After the clearing, the FCDA will move in immediately, no body will come in and settle again. It is a mother of all exercise because demolition, evacuation and general clean up are involved,” he said.
