The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Joint Task Force Team on city sanitation has dispersed angry protesters at the premises of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Wuse, Abuja.
The protesters stormed the premises in the early hours of Monday over the demolition of a Mechanic Village in Kubwa by officials of the AMMC Department of Development Control.
The director of the department, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, told journalists after the incident that the workers in the building were going about their official assignments when the protesters besieged the premises.
He said 19 of the protesters were arrested for the violent disruption of peace in the area.
“We were having a meeting in a conference hall when we heard some noises. We decided to come and see what was happening and I saw some people with placards.
“Some of the people were talking about Kubwa Mechanic Village where they own shops that were demolished.
“But what proof do they have that they have allocations inside the area?” he asked.
Galadima also said the sponsors of the protest built what they called a Mechanic Village inside someone’s property, adding that Development Control ordered the demolition of the village.
He added that beyond building on illegal property, the action became necessary following a series of complaint of encroachment by the rightful owners.
