The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Wednesday pulled down trees and shanties at a forest in Pasali along Kuje-Gwagwalada road suspected to be bandits’ hideout, and reclaimed the area earmarked for vegetable market and others.
The action came few days after the arrest of four informants behind the attack on the Brigade of Guards in Bwari, and about a month after the Kuje jailbreak, all suburbs of Abuja, the nation’s capital.
This is coming as the ongoing demolition exercise in Kuje entered the third day.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, said this in an interview with Journalists after the exercise.
He said the demolition of Pasali forest near Kuje Local Education Authority Secretariat was to clear the area of illegalities and restore the approved plan.
Some residents of the community also told newsmen that bandits always came to the forest to relax before carrying out their heinous acts.
“We have reclaimed the vegetable market and others which have been taken over by other people.
“The minister of FCT and the commissioner of police are fully aware of the exercise, and we will continue to reclaim the areas designated for special purposes,” Attah said.
Commenting on the development, a resident, David Musa, said the demolition would restore sanity to the area.
“I want to commend the government for the ongoing clearance in Kuje. This place (Pasali, close to LEA secretariat) has been a criminal hideout because of the trees and other things. As this place is cleared, the problem of insecurity in Kuje has been reduced.
“Suspected bandits come here to relax during the day and strike in the night. Like yesterday, about 15 people were kidnapped along Kwaku area in Kuje, by clearing some of these places is a good thing,” he alleged.
Residents cry foul
However, those affected by the ongoing demolition of the illegal structures behind prison command on the railway corridor, accused the traditional rulers of selling them the land they built on.
They said the traditional rulers were not supposed to allow them buy and build on Kuje railway corridor, and in some areas alleged to be illegal.
The affected persons blamed the monarchs for not doing enough to protect their interest but rather inflicting pains on them.
One of the victims, Bridget Ekelechukwu, of the Divine Chosen Spiritual Ministry Less Privileged said: “We have been here for over 12 years. I knew that this area is Railway corridor but I was deceived by the monarchs and their people that railway is not coming.
“I have never been to Kuje, no surveyor measured this land for me. But after we started staying here, the first people that came to meet me was Gomo’s family, I told them I do not know them.
“I discovered it was a railway corridor about five years ago. I have about 19 children, I registered the Ministry but I haven’t completed the registration for the orphanage. My registration with Social Development Secretariat is there.”
Another victim, Benedict Chidozie regretted the action, querying, “how comes people will come and build without the consent of the traditional ruler or his family members? They are the cause of our problem.”
Gomo denies claims
However, the secretary to Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, denied the allegation, and described it as false.
Senate raises the alarm
In a related development, the Senate leadership Wednesday lamented the current security situation in Nigeria, describing it as “frightening as there is nowhere that is safe.”
Lamentation of the Senate leadership came to the fore at an emergency meeting it had with heads of the relevant security agencies led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.
Speaking at the meeting, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the collaborative efforts by both the Presidency and the National Assembly in stemming the tide of worsening insecurity over the years were far from achieving the right results.
The frightening situation, he explained, necessitated the emergency meeting between the Senate Leadership and the security chiefs.
“This meeting today is to look into where we are now and how to get out of it not in six months or a year from now but from today.
“Bandits have taken over large portion of our land, particularly the rural areas, making farmers to abandon their farms with attendant drastic drop in agricultural productivity.
“Worsening the situation is the level of oil theft that has reached alarming proportion, already making international oil firms or explorers not to feel safe any longer in carrying out their business.
“If this frightening situation is not addressed immediately, government may be so challenged to the point of having little to provide required services to Nigerians.
“Therefore, we invite you to tell us what the problems are. Are resources given not enough or required synergy not available?
“Whatever the problems are, Nigerians want serious and drastic change from today. So in your submissions, be confident to talk to us as partners for lasting solutions,” Ahmad said.
Irabor explains
In his brief response before the meeting went into closed door session, Chief of Defence Staff Irabor said commitment of officers and men of the various security agencies in securing the country was not in any way being compromised and would not be compromised.
“No one is leaving any stone unturned in addressing all the imbalances,” he told the lawmakers.
Other security chiefs at the meeting were Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Farooq Yahaya, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Isiaka Oladayo Amao, Inspector General of Police Alkali Baba Usman and Director General Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi among others.
At the meeting with the Senate President were Senate Leader Ibrahim Gobir, Deputy Senate Leader Ajayi Boroffice, Minority Leader Philip Aduda, Deputy Senate Whip Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Deputy Minority Whip Chukwuka Utazi and chairmen of various committees on security.
Gunmen attack AIG convoy, kill orderly
Meanwhile, suspected gunmen Tuesday ambushed the convoy of the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 12 Audu Madaki, injuring him and killing one of his escorts.
The incident was said to have occurred around 2:30 pm between Barde and Jagindi area in Kaduna state while on their way to Abuja from Bauchi.
However, details of how the attack was carried out were not available as at the time of this report.
The police chief, Blueprint gathered, was receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility even as security was beefed up around the zone.
It was also gathered that armed cops had been mobilised to scene of the incident to smoke out the culprits from their hideouts.
Zonal Police Public Relations Officer Thomas Gni was yet to comment on the development as at the time of this report Wednesday night.
