By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate demolition of illegal shanties suspected to be criminal hideouts along the Kukwaba rail corridor near Karmajiji in Abuja
He described the place as a dangerous haven for criminals operating within the heart of Abuja.
Wike’s directive followed an emergency high-level security meeting on Friday, after which he led heads of security agencies on an on-the-spot assessment of the notorious settlement.
The Minister said FCT Administration would no longer tolerate criminal enclaves in the nation’s capital, saying the illegal settlement had become a major security threat requiring urgent intervention.
He immediately directed the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, to work with the Department of Development Control to pull down the illegal structures and ensure that the rail corridor is secured against any future reoccupation.
Wike explained that the shanties had become hideouts for suspected criminals who exploit the area to evade security agencies after carrying out illegal activities.
The Minister also urged security agencies to adopt a proactive intelligence-driven approach to tackling emerging security threats, insisting that swift action was necessary to prevent criminal elements from gaining a stronger foothold within the Federal Capital Territory.
“We have seen where insecurity is breeding, and we cannot allow it to reach a stage where it becomes difficult to control. We have to stop it now. What I saw is a threat to the city. I couldn’t believe such a thing could exist here.
“People commit crimes and move in here; you don’t even know who is anywhere. How do you identify and locate them? And this is inside the city. There is no way we can allow this. There is nothing emotional about it. It will be a terrible thing to allow such to continue,” Wike said.
