By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has stepped up efforts in tackling criminals in the territory.
Officials of FCT Administration tagged ‘City management team’ on Tuesday, led by the Director Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima begun clearing of unapproved activities under bridges and subways at a bridge near Abia House on Ahmadu Bello way in Central Business District.
He said the exercise was necessitated by directive from the minister of FCT to clean up and conduct a visibility study on subways and under bridges suspected to be hiding places for criminals.
Galadima who was represented by the
deputy Director Monitoring and Enforcement, Hassan Ogbole, explained that there were outcries from the residents over rising wave of security issues associated with most of the locations.
He said, “The team which comprises all the strategic agencies of FCT Administration went round in the last two weeks on preliminary findings, from Area 1, Ahmadu Bello way to Area 2, and we have 10 underbridges that will be cleared.
“The operation is a fall out from the Minister’s directive to clean up or conduct a visibility study on subways and under bridges within the territory arising from security issues associated with most of the locations
“After the exercise rightful persons will take over the areas for proper management.
“Gone are those days that places are recovered and abandoned , It depends on the people that we will be handed over these places to, but we must ensure that the right thing is down.
“We have close to 10 bridges, some of the places are ecological reserved areas, We will organize them through the Urban affairs department, they will be well profiled and they will have a place to stay”
Contributing, Secretary, Control and Command FCT Administration, Dr Peter Olumuji said the operation is to gaurantee safety of residents.
According to Olumuji, “part of the reasons for the operation is to gaurantee the safety of residents, members of the public have been complaining about unwholesome acts of criminal elements under these bridges, anytime they commit crime they run to the bridges to herbinate, the administration is committed to making under bridges uncomfortable for criminals”
On sustainability, he said, “After the clearing, all Divisional Police Officers in those areas are to take charge, they have been informed and they have assured us that the bridges will be kept under control.
“The areas recovered will be converted to better use than leaving it in the hands of suspected criminals, it is not that we are displaying people but the places can be used for viable economic reasons”.
