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From Fred Itua, Abuja
Months after some miscreants assaulted and injured a policeman and other task force members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), a reinforced team on Wednesday stormed the community, demolishing several illegal structures.
Durumi Community had been one area where attempts by the Taskforce team to enforce sanitation and other Urban and Regional Planning laws, have always been strongly resisted by miscreants.
It was also learnt that FCTA’s decision to revisit the community , was to clear all shanties and places where criminal elements take refuge.
The notorious illegal market, popularly known as ” Kasuwa ndere”, located in Asokoro District was also demolished for allegedly harbouring criminal elements that threaten the peace of residents within the neighbourhood.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Attah Ikharo who stated that the operations were part of the ongoing fight against insecurity in the city.
He noted that while Durumi Community was over due for thorough sanitation, the Asokoro illegal market was too notorious to be left in a highbrow district.
According to him, the FCT Administration remains committed to its resolve to spare houses belonging to indigenous people, those who defiantly patronize illegal lands will be made to pay heavily for such negligence.
Ikharo said: “We removed some shanties and illegal structures around Durumi 3 to free the area of criminal activities
” The Chiefs have made some appeal that they will work with us to remove the illegal structures, and we are considering that .
” We want to have a clean FCT. We trust the Chiefs to abide by what we have agreed on. We will continue to engage them and other Area Council Officials .
” We have tried as much as possible to avoid touching houses belonging to indigenous people, because they have the right to be compensated and resettled.
” In Asokoro we have gotten lots of complaints that criminal elements gather here and attack not only VIPs, but other Nigerians.
” Even indigenous people have complained that they have been robbed by criminals from the Kasuwa ndere. That is why we are clearing the place.”
