The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Operation Sweep Abuja Wednesday raided the Inner Northern Expressway corridor where hoodlums used as hideouts to perpetrate various criminal activities.
The operation involved all security operatives where several shanties were destroyed and 20 vehicles impounded.
The Inner Northern Expressway is a proposed road between Wuse District and the Central Area, also known as Wuse Zone 3 where there is a large chunk of miscreants.
It could be recalled that there are complaints from some Abuja residents of ‘one chance’ menace on the increase in the nation’s capital.
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike had last Tuesday chaired a security council meeting led by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, where he gave the directive for the operation.
Operation Sweep Abuja, is a task force constituted under the directive of Wike, headed by the FCT Commissioner of Police to curb crime and maintain sanity in Abuja.
The director development control, Muktar Galadima, who led the operation told reporters that the administration will not allow criminals to take over the city, adding that more shanties will be removed to ensure a safe city.
Galadima also assured that every area posing a security threat will be secured, while calling for cooperation from residents.
He said; “Sequel to the security meeting of the Federal Capital Territory Administration. We’ve been directed to go back and make sure that the city is cleared and clean because it was acknowledged that Abuja city is getting dirtier.
“So, we have been instructed to move on and make sure we clear all shanties to make the city cleaner and reduce the crime rate. We are looking at the inner northern expressway corridor. That is a road, a proposed road between Wuse District and the central area where you have a large chunk of some of these miscreants and shanties who have been there, who have been removed and removed and removed, but they are back. But the good thing with this recent directive is that once we clear it, we have been mandated to take possession so that whatever we think is better, we’ll put it into use.
“We’ve been able to identify a location that somehow poses a lot of challenge to the city’s security and then a city’s aesthetic quality and we’ve been able to clear the menace and even to chase some of the people of questionable character. But we’re not ending today, we are coming back tomorrow to do what we call a mop-up exercise.
“Well, they’ve been residing illegally so there is nothing we can do about it but to chase them out of the place. Moreover, this place has been designated for another use. It’s not supposed to accommodate them but they were just occupying illegally.
“So now that it has been statutorily allocated, the owners will soon take possession of those spaces that have been demarcated. I think it’s part of the administration policy that people should develop their plots within the shortest possible time. So, I believe the owners of the plots will soon start developing their property”.
Director, Department of Security Services, FCTA, Adamu Gwary, who was represented by Peter Olumuji disclosed that most of those criminals attacking people around the National Mosque comes from the hideout.
Displaying machetes recovered from the area, Gwary said; “Yes, if you look at some of these machetes I’m holding here, these are the weapons most of these criminal elements who are violating in this particular axis, normally used to attack unsuspecting passers-by and murdering public.
“From here they can go towards the National Mosque bridge and they can also access the Zone 1 bridge. So, most of those complaints you hear about murdering public or passers-by complain that they are being attacked. When they attack them, they not only collect their valuables, they also go ahead to machete them with this. Evidence abound in the various police posts around here.
“So, what we have recovered is just part of the tools, weapons they use in attacking people and the clearance operation we have done here will bring great respite to people living around here and people flying those key routes that we mentioned”.
Also, the Head of Operations, Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS), also known as VIO, Deborah Osho,said 20 vehicles were impounded.
She said; “We have about 20 vehicles impounded. Not only impounded, they were towed from this place. They use them, some of them are not even movable. They use the vehicles to commit atrocities.
“Some of them are being used for one chance. So, most of them are being towed, not even driven. We are not going to crush them, but they are going to pay heavily for their vehicles to be given back to them”.