The Sector Monitor and Assistant Director in the department who led the exercise in Abuja on Monday, Garba Jibril, said that the affected owners had been served with several notices.

Mr Jibril added that the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, had held a sensitisation meeting with the stakeholders.

He explained that demolishing the illegal structures was necessary because they constituted a nuisance on the road in addition to heavy traffic, especially on their market days.

He added that their activities were equally emitting environmental hazards, which the FCT Administration frowned at.

The team leader also disclosed that the FCTA had awarded a contract for the construction of Life Camp– Dei-Dei Road.

He, however, said that the traders’ continuous stay on the road corridor was preventing the contractors from moving to site.

According to him, the 24-hour notice is not to be played with and those who refused to comply will have themselves to blame.

He also said that the traders had been asked to move to the designated market called Karmo Market, adding that the market was fully developed and equipped with necessary facilities.

“But the traders have been reluctant to move. We have had several meetings with the relevant stakeholders including traditional leaders in the area to get them to move but they remained adamant. We equally held a meeting with the traders and the new market operators, who promised to give the traders some incentives to be able to accommodate them in both the informal and the main shops.

“We are hoping that after the demolition, there will be a successful relocation from the road corridor to the main market. This will not only maintain a serene environment, but also ensure free flow of traffic in the area,” Mr Jibril said.

(NAN)