In a continued effort to protect and maintain order in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the City Sanitation Operation team has intensified its crackdown on illegal structures and unapproved shanties scattered across the capital city. This sweeping exercise, aimed at safeguarding lives and property, recently targeted a popular location known as Cashew Garden in the Apo district of Abuja. The demolition was supervised by the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, who led the team to dismantle unauthorized constructions in the area. Speaking during the operation, Galadima reassured Abuja residents that the exercise was a crucial part of the administration’s strategy to eliminate criminal hideouts and ensure public safety. “You will recall,” he stated, “that we have previously carried out similar exercises in areas such as Zone 3, Wuse, and UTC, following directives from the FCT Security Committee. Today, our focus is Apo — removing shanties and dislodging individuals who pose security threats to residents.” Galadima clarified that the FCT Administration (FCTA) had never granted permission or approval for the structures demolished in Apo. He further warned that any land allocation used to harbor criminal activities would be revoked without hesitation. He explained that the Apo site was originally designated for residential purposes, with formal allocations already made to legitimate landowners. However, some allottees failed to develop their plots within the stipulated timeframe, leaving the area vulnerable to illegal occupation. “As directed by the FCT Security Committee, we are reclaiming the land. This area has already been planned with a properly defined road corridor, demarcated by a deep trench. We intend to take full possession of it,” Galadima emphasized. Also present at the demolition was Adamu Gwary, the Director of the FCTA Security Services Department. Describing the action as a vital clean-up exercise, Gwary noted that it would significantly reduce the operational space for criminals and discourage illegal activities in the territory. Representing the Secretary of Command and Control, Dr. Peter Olumuji, Gwary expressed concern that some individuals occupying these shanties were involved in illicit drug activities, posing a heightened security risk. He assured residents that the ongoing operations would continue until the capital city was free from such threats, making the FCT a safer environment for all.
