FCTA Demolishes 2,000 Shanties in Mpape

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

There was pandemonium yesterday when the Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA) of the FCTA demolished about 2,000 illegal structures impeding the flow of traffic at Mpape, Abuja, a hill-top area with high concentration of quarries and always in the mix of jolts caused by earth tremors.

The removal of the structures followed the expiration of three-week quit notice issued by the FCT Ministerial Committee on Sanitation to the illegal squatters of the slums.

It was the first demolition exercise carried out in Mpape since 2004, and the continuation of the scale-up in the demolition of illegal structures as witnessed recently at the international airport communities of Iddo Sarkin and Iddo Sabo.

The Chairman of the task force, Ikharo Attah, said the demolition exercise was carried out after the residents appealed to the FCT Minister, Muhammed Musa Bello, to remove roadside shanties and other unapproved buildings causing traffic obstruction along the road.

“So what we did was in line with the request of the people who wanted the road corridors to be reclaimed so that there will be ease of movement. As a responsible government, we responded to the cries of the people,” Attah said.

Also speaking, the Secretary, Command and Control of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Peter Olumuji, asserted that many of the Mpape shanties were demolished because they were becoming hideouts for criminal elements.

He said: “This part of Mpape harbours the highest numbers of criminal elements and lot criminal activities, which the residents have been complaining about. What the FCTA is doing here today is to ensure that the mandate of securing the city is carried out. “