- Galadima stated that the task force received an intelligence report on increased robbery in the area.
- Galadima said the team would clear it for the owners to take over their plots and develop them immediately.
The squatters in the Apo-Dutse pantaker region of Abuja have been given a one-week notice to vacate by the joint task team of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
Mukhtar Galadima, the team’s coordinator and director of development control at FCTA, revealed this on Monday during his visitation.
Galadima reported that an intelligence report on a rise in robberies in the area was given to the task force.
He mentioned that the location had previously been razed by earlier administrations and that, more recently, a great deal of sensitization had been done to pressure the squatters to move or face demolition in a week.
Explaining that the place has been allocated for residential purposes, Galadima said the team would clear it for the owners to take over their plots and develop them immediately.
He stressed that illegal squatters should respect the constituted authority or face the consequences.
“We received an intelligence report that there are some challenges here and you would recall that this place was removed before, but they came back. Now we want to clear the place once again, once and for all,” he said.
“But today we are engaging with them, discussing the mode of operation before we come back for demolition and we will likely come back next week so that we have the exercise harmoniously”.
On his part, secretary, Command and Control in the FCTA, Dr Peter Olumiji, noted that the task force has been receiving reports of criminal attacks on an estate in the area, adding that once the illegal settlement is cleared, the crime rate within the district would be reduced.
Olumiji noted that the task team had given them time to park their things and that after the expiration of the ultimatum, the team would be back to ensure enforcement.