From Fred Itua, Abuja
Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday, removed illegal structures obstructing Jabi-Dakibu road corridor in Abuja.
Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Attah Ikharo, led the cleanup in Idu area, in collaboration with the Department of Development Control, Security Services, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), and all relevant security agencies.
The aide decried the rate at which people encroach on road corridors in Abuja and said the Minister is very sad and would continue to reclaim them from the illegal squatters.
According to him, “We are in Jabi-Dakibiu, reclaiming the road corridor where people built and encroach upon. Land is exhaustible when people finish selling land , then they start selling the road corridor.”
Responding to the complaint of the residents that they contributed N10,000 in order to disuade FCT staff from removing their illegal structures, the SSA said: “It is a sad irony, once your place is marked for removal just pack and move to another place, no single indigene is here now. The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello, has warned us over taking of bribe from anybody and today we have come to remove it and the person who collected the money am sure he is not here.
“Those who gave bribe are already weeping and trying to pack their things. I will advise them not to give bribe and not to build on the road coridor again.
“For those who contributed N10,000 each and gave to the Chief for onward transmission to us should go back to the Chief because we don’t take bribe.”
One of those affected who was in tears said, she just bought the house in January 2023 for N1.4 million.
“I just bought this house in January, for N1.4 million, from the former owner who has relocated abroad. I don’t have anywhere I can go, I was at work when my neighbor phoned me that they have demolished my house,” she said.
Another resident from Akwa Ibom state, said he has been living in this area for 12 years. He said his former place was demolished so he moved to Dakibiu to rent.
“When they came to mark, they told us they won’t come if we settle them, so we contributed N10,000 per house which we gave to the vigilante to give to the Chief to help us talk to them.
“It is the Chief of Dakibiu that sells the land, he sell N150, 000 for one bedroom apartment,” he said.
Andrew Ayame, who said he is from Kaduna state, said he packed and relocated his family before the bulldozers arrived on Thursday. He commended FCTA for giving them enough time to relocate.
“I am helping some of the victims because they are not around and my house too is affected. They gave us notice so I had to relocate my family. I am just helping my friend,” he said.