(DDM) — Youths displaced by the recent demolition of shanties in Abuja’s Apo District have denied involvement in criminal activities.
They insist their only demand from the government is employment.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) recently carried out a clearance operation in Cadastral Zone E27, describing the location as a notorious criminal hideout based on intelligence reports.
According to DDM findings, officials said the demolition followed violent incidents, including an armed robbery attempt by more than 50 suspects and the killing of a medical worker.
Mukhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control at the FCTA, stated that the demolition formed part of a citywide sanitation and security campaign aimed at eradicating criminal enclaves.
He advised the affected residents to relocate to decent accommodations elsewhere within the city.
However, some displaced youths have rejected the criminal tag placed on them.
One of the residents, identified as David Mark, said they were not thieves and only sought employment.
“We don’t steal. My demand is employment, we need employment,” Mark said.
He questioned the lack of jobs for the teeming number of young people in the community.
He stressed that their former settlement was also a hub for casual labour recruitment.
The youths urged the government to prioritise job creation rather than destroying the homes of struggling citizens.
They warned that continued demolitions without addressing unemployment would only worsen social problems in the capital.
Community members argue that poverty and joblessness, not crime, remain the primary challenges facing the displaced population.
They appealed to both the federal and FCT authorities to engage them in public works, skills training, or other empowerment programmes to prevent desperation and vulnerability.
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