FCTA vows to clear criminal hideouts in Abuja shanties

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has vowed to sustain its aggressive campaign against criminal hideouts in Abuja, reiterating its commitment to clearing illegal settlements that serve as sanctuaries for criminals and obstruct developmental projects.

The FCTA underscored that the ongoing onslaught on criminal hideouts will persist until the Federal Capital City is rid of these security threats, particularly in Durumi and Garki Districts. Officials identified Area 1 in Durumi as a hotspot for heinous crimes, including robbery, carjacking, drug peddling, and kidnappings, which have severely compromised the safety of law-abiding residents.

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, in a statement, revealed that a special Stakeholders Committee, comprising security heads, government officials, civil society members, and journalists, has been established by Minister Nyesom Wike to coordinate the crackdown and support safer communities.

Olayinka recounted that during a security operation three months ago in Area 1, Durumi, more than 120 criminals were arrested, alongside the recovery of stolen vehicles, motorcycles, and ATM cards used in fraud schemes. Although some shanties were cleared then, they have since re-emerged, allowing criminals to regroup and making the area unsafe for residents.

The FCTA stressed that many of these illegal structures are built on land allocated over two decades ago, but criminal occupants have rendered it inaccessible to rightful landowners and government agencies, further stalling development.