FCTA committed to ensuring safety of lives, property – Minister

There was pandemonium yesterday on the busy airport road in Abuja, when traders and villagers attempted to stop officials of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from rounding up the demolition of Gosa Market.
Blueprint gathered that chaos set in as the city management agency arrived at the area in the afternoon, to completely clear the entire market, adjudged to be illegal structures under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Particularly aggrieved youths, women and some affected traders tried to stop the exercise, by throwing stones at the officials, thereby causing chaos, which resulted to traffic gridlock around the area.
Recall that FCTA officials accompanied by joint team of security operatives last Saturday commenced operations, purportedly to arrest the incidence of blockage of the Gosa portion of the Abuja Airport Expressroad.
However, the exercise which commenced about 10 am Monday for lasted four hours to be completed, due to the fracas that broke in.
It took a dangerous twist after security agencies overpower the traders and villagers they hurriedly blocked the road with burning tyres, and grounded vehicular and human movement there.
Consequently, a lot of commuters were stranded and had their journey disrupted, with a handful of vehicles damaged in the process.
It was also learnt that one policeman and two FCTA officials were injured, even as five of the protesters were arrested as some of them were wounded while trying to overpower the security agencies.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, described the incident as “unfortunate and unacceptable.
” Bello further revealed that the action became necessary “because of the real danger that illegal trading on the buff ers and shoulders of the road portends to lives and property on the axis.
” According to him, the open market has expanded up to the point it has become real danger to the residents and other road users, therefore the need for the government to curtail the menace.
He said government would immediately relocate the market inside Gosa, at least 500 meters away from the road corridors, in accordance with the Law.