FCTA Reiterates Commitment To Sustain Demolition of Illegal Structures, Criminal Hideouts, Others In Abuja

By TOYIN ADEBAYO, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday reiterated the commitment of the administration to sustain the ongoing demolition exercise in the nation’s capital.

This, according to the administration is to preserve the Abuja Master Plan and keep the fastest growing city out of insecurity and criminalities.

Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Comrade Ikharo Attah hinted that, it is out of place for Amnesty International to ask FCTA to stop further demolition of illegal structures, shanties, batchers and criminal hideouts in the territory.

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Attah, while briefing newsmen on the latest development, he said: ” For what I know, I think,
Amnesty International is addressing a particular case that involves the removal of illegal structures at Gaduwa village in the FCT and not the entire territory like the report suggested.

“Amnesty International has not asked that we should stop demolition but be a little careful. FCTA and Amnesty International knows that the removal of the illegal structures, clearing of criminal dens and areas that have become a security threat to the city is for the good of everybody and the defence of human rights which
Amnesty International represents very strongly.

” If we must work going forward, I don’t think FCTA will stop the removal of illegal structures. Those who build them understand clearly that they are illegal, contravene the master plan and understand the consequences of what they have done. FCTA will sustain the removal of all illegal structures before this administration, during this administration and after this administration. The moment you stop the removal, you have grounded the city and the city will become ungovernable. There is no plan of stopping and
Amnesty International has not made that call, they are only addressing a particular issue or somehow, also have to get personeel for the removal of to be extremely civil defending human rights which is what we are doing and we hope to improve on what we are doing. For now, we are committed and keen to even look at the removal of all shanties.

“Look at what happened in Kubwa, the building collapsed, which was said to have been caused by alterations of the building plan caused the death of two and left several injured. These are the things we want to avoid, when Illegalities persist and you don’t tackle it, there will be a problem. So , no going back on demolition of illegal structures and shanties in the nation’s capital.

” The Amnesty International report is a misconception of what happened in Gaduwa village, when we removed illegal structures, journalists were there, we did not touch the indigenous houses, we were guided by Madaki who was on ground. So stopping the removal of illegal structures as a city is not possible. The moment you stop Illegalities in a place, it becomes a safe heaven for criminals, it shows the city has ungovern space and will not be good for anyone of us. We will keep removing illegal structures, criminal illegal structures, criminal hide out and shanties to keep Abuja safe”, he said.

It would be recalled that it was reported last week that Amnesty International and some Original Inhabitants of the nation’s capital from Durumi 3 Village held a joint press conference during which Amnesty international was quoted as calling on the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA to as a matter of urgency put a halt to plans for further Demolition of illegal structures a across the FCT.