Drama As FCT Task Force Demolishes Schools, Car Marts, Shanties

File photo

According to a report by The PUNCH, the Federal Capital Territory Ministerial Task Force on City Sanitation on Wednesday demolished three schools in the Dutse area of the nation’s capital for alleged violation of the Abuja Master Plan.

Other structures demolished included shops, car marts and shanties in communities along the Bwari-Dutse Road corridors.

Also demolished were illegal dumpsites in Jabu layout within Kubwa FO1, as well as a lounge built on waterways in the area.

The Chairman of the task force, Ikharo Attah, said all the buildings affected had no titles, adding that they were obstructing the road corridors.

He said, “Since we started at Iddo, Mpape, Nyanya and even the city centre, we have not entered into the Kubwa axis, and we have received many calls to come to the Kubwa and Dutse areas.

“Today (Wednesday), we came into the Dutse-Alhaji and Kubwa areas, notorious for heavy traffic gridlock.

“So, we are here to actually clear this alignment and remove all the property that breached the Abuja Master Plan.

“We also took a downward stretch towards Dutse Makaranta, in which we could not finish removing many illegal structures around the alignment there; but we are hopeful that we will actually come back to continue the clean-up here.

“We also cleared some terrible criminals’ dens, where scavengers occupied parts of Kubwa FO1. The removal of the structures is aimed at restoring the Abuja Master Plan, and all those who live in Kubwa here will be happy, as the extreme gridlock will disappear.

“It’s pathetic, because everyone here got notice; but they just sat down, as they don’t care, and we can’t continue living like this.

“What pains me most is that we gave a notice, and I even insisted that the Development Control Department give a second notice. So, they gave first and second notices, but people wiped them off, believing that the government would not come.”

The Secretary, FCT Security Command and Control Centre, Peter Olumuji, said the demolished structures were harbouring criminal elements in the area.