The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday evicted illegal food vendors, mechanics, fuel hawkers and petty traders on the rail and road corridors in Area 11, Garki, near the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Kaka Bello, the assistant director of enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), who led the operation, said the FCTA has zero tolerance for environmental nuisances in the nation’s capital.

”And as such, this illegality that is happening here will not be allowed to continue. You can see a lot of sundry nuisances from food vendors, illegal petroleum sellers popularly known as black markers, and illegal mechanics occupying this road corridors.

“This has led to the spillover of their illegal activities on the R.B. Dikko Road, off Lord Lugard street. This is unacceptable, and that is why the director of AEPB, Mr Osilama Braimah, gave us a matching order to come and ensure that we sanitise this place.”

Mr Bello promised that the board and other agencies of the FCTA, saddled with the responsibility of city management, would sustain operations in the area daily.

“We will ensure that this place is sanitised. The enforcement will continue on a daily basis. As you can see, the operation is been carried out by different agencies such as the FCT Directorate of Traffic Road Services (VIO), FCT Ministerial Task Force on City Sanitation, NDLEA and the rest.”

He appealed to illegal food vendors, mechanics and illegal petrol sellers to desist from engaging in illegal activities.

”There are legitimate platforms in the territory where such businesses could be carried out without going against the law,” he said.

Also speaking, Ikharo Attah, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, explained that the place being occupied by the illegal vendors and mechanics was a green area given as a temporary food court.

Mr Attah said the administration would fence the area, adding that those who have a temporary allocation to run a green area, parks and open spaces would take charge.

This, according to him, will be done in accordance with the provisions of the Parks and Recreation Department conditions.

“This is what we will do to ensure that people manage the rail and the road corridors, pending when we have full construction and when the place is fully used for road and rail, all these things will disappear.

“For now, this is an eyesore. It is really very bad and sad to see fuel black markers, food vendors, scavengers, hawkers and all manner of people using this place.

“This doesn’t paint the city in a very good light considering the fact that it is at the very heart of the city,” Mr Attah said. 

(NAN)