By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
In it renewed Operation Sweep aimed at dismantle criminal hideouts across the length and breadth of the territory, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA has declared it is ready to clear any illegal settlements and uncompleted building be it in the city or suburbs found to be serving as abode for criminal elements.
Secretary of the FCTA Command and Control Centre, Dr. Peter Olumuji, disclosed this during an enforcement operation in Wassa, a satellite community in the FCT.
Olumuji said the operation had moved beyond the city centre to identified black spots in suburban communities such as Karasana, Kugbo, Jikwoyi, Karshi and other rapidly growing outskirts of the capital.
“We have received a lot of intelligence reports about crime and criminality in these areas. Some of these locations have served as safe havens for criminal elements,” he said.
According to him, the operation is aimed at removing illegal structures and settlements being used as hideouts by suspected criminals.
“When you look at this critically, Development Control had already marked this place since February 25 this year. Enough notice was given to residents to vacate the area,” he stated.
Olumuji explained that officials had also engaged community leaders and sensitised occupants before the enforcement exercise commenced.
“The purpose of this removal is to ensure that the security of the FCT is sustained and residents remain safe at all times. That is why we are taking proactive steps,” he added.
He stressed that the renewed operation would not be limited to Abuja city centre, noting that security agencies were targeting criminal enclaves in satellite towns and border communities.
“Wassa is not in the city centre, yet we are here. We are also identifying locations in Kugbo, Jikwoyi, Karshi and other places that serve as safe havens for criminal elements. The more we remove these hideouts, the more we improve security in the FCT,” he said.
Also speaking, Head of Enforcement at the Social Development Secretariat (SDS), Ukachi Adebayo, said the agency had evacuated over 800 destitute persons from different parts of Abuja as part of the operation.
Adebayo explained that those evacuated were profiled and rehabilitated rather than abandoned.
“After evacuating them, we profile them and take them to our centre where we care for and train them before reintegrating them back into society,” she said.
She, however, acknowledged that the agency was facing several operational challenges in carrying out the exercise.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Wassa community, Garzali Umar, expressed support for the operation, saying many transient occupants in the area were unknown to residents and security agencies.
