The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken steps to reclaim ungoverned spaces occupied by hoodlums and other criminal elements threatening the peace of residents of the territory.
The Department of Development Control of the FCT Monday said the administration will recover and convert some of the open spaces to Parks and Recreation Centers to curb the rate of crimes being perpetuated in the neighborhood.
The Director of Department (TPL) Mukhtar Galadima, revealed after a cleanup exercise in Katampe extension that similar measure would be replicated in other areas where the administration recently moved in to demolished shanties.
Galadima, who was represented by the deputy director, Monitoring and Enforcement of the Department, Hassan Ogbole, lamented that the hoodlums constantly returned to the area despite being cleared many times.
He said: “We have done this in several locations and we are here in Katampe extension. This is a high tension line where any kind of activity is not supposed to be going on around it, but unfortunately, this is the fourth time the task team will be here. Whenever we remove, they come back. We know they are being exploited by people within themselves and outside, but we are investigating thoroughly to bring those involved to law.
“We will keep doing this. We can’t leave an ungoverned space and that is why we are working on governance now. We are working in partnership with the Residence Association of Katampe Extension as well as and Parks and Recreation Department.
“Sooner or later we will get them to take proper occupation of this place so that these people will not come back.
Before then, we will keep coming here to make sure they don’t come back.”
