Abuja authority displaces 15, 000 residents to pave way for access road

• Says affected people are illegal occupants

Over I5, 000 residents in Nigeria’s capital Abuja were displaced after bulldozers brought in by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, demolished their shelters, stating that they are illegal buildings and shanties in the Gwarinpa area.

Rural to urban drift is high in Nigeria, resulting in local direct investment into migrants home of origen.

But Muktar Galadima, the FCT Director of Development Control doesn’t think anything much of this demography.

According to him, the affected residents are illegal; their shelter is  illegal structures obstructed the arterial Road N16, stretching from the Federal Secretariat through Maitama, Katampe, Jahi, and to Gwarinpa.

Gwarimpa is one of Abuja’s upscale areas.

Galadima explained that the Engineering Department of FCTA was poised to commence road construction once the demolition was completed, as the construction project had already been awarded.

He clarified that the structures removed were illegally built on the road corridor, necessitating their removal to facilitate road construction.

Regarding the displaced occupants, Galadima mentioned that they were being relocated elsewhere.

He noted that over 10,000 to 15,000 people were residing in the area illegally, and the road construction project would proceed promptly after the clearance.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Olumuji, the Secretary of FCT Command and Control Center, highlighted the security aspect of the demolition.

He revealed that the demolished shanties had become notorious for harboring criminals, leading to issues such as illicit drug dealing, rape cases, and various armed robbery incidents.

Olumuji expressed optimism that the demolition would enhance security for those residing in Gwarinpa and its surroundings.

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