The Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) Special Ministerial Task Team has demolished illegal settlements behind National Park and National Military Cemetery along Airport Road, Abuja.

The settlement, named Ruga, was demolished while hundreds of shanties made from sacks, planks and scrap roofing sheets along the rail corridor were destroyed and set ablaze.

The task team named “Operation Sweep” is headed by the Commissioner of Police in FCT, Olatunji Disu, and was directed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to clean the city of all nuisances and criminality.

FCT director of the Security Service Department, Adamu Gwari, after the operation in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Ruga settlement was characterised by shanties and other illegal structures built on peoples’ plots of land.

Mr Gwari, represented by Peter Olumuji, the FCT Command and Control Centre secretary, pointed out that illegal structures harbour all kinds of criminal elements.

He said the site was close to the rail corridor, adding that their occupation of the area could pose security threats to residents using the Abuja Metro Line.

“You know we have had incidents of the rail tracks being vandalised. As such, demolishing the illegal structures would improve security on the rail corridor,” said Mr Gwari.

On measures to ensure the illegal occupants do not return to the site, the director said Mr Wike had warned plot owners to develop them, or the FCT Administration would revoke the allocations.

“Most of the plot owners have complained over time that they could not access the plots because of these shanties and criminal elements residing here.

“Some of them have tried to take over their plots but were attacked by the illegal occupants.

“Today, the FCTA has cleared the area, so we advised them to immediately take possession of their plots of land and begin development,” he said.

Reacting to the development, one of the dislodged settlers, Ibrahim Yusuf, said they had nowhere to go, adding that housing in the FCT was beyond their reach.

Mr Yusuf described himself as the secretary of the community and said they had been living there for more than 20 years.

He added that the community had been demolished more than 20 times, but they always returned and rebuilt.

“What they kept telling us is ‘You people are living in an illegal area, so leave the place’, but we have nowhere else to go, and we are not ready to leave Abuja.

“We are, therefore, appealing to the FCTA to resettle us. Whatever conditions the administration will give us, we are ready,” he said.

(NAN)