FCTA Demolishes UTC Shopping Complex

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Joint Task Force of Federal Capital Territory Administration has demolished the UTC Shopping Complex at Garki, Area 10, Abuja.

The demolition of the 30-year-old structure that was carried out in the early hours of Saturday caught most of the shop owners unawareness with many shedding tears and clamping their heads as a result of the exercise.

The task force barricaded the area and used tear gas to ward off any resistance from a pocket of shop owners who were at the scene at the time of the demolition.

Over 480 shops were demolished when the Joint Task Force of the FCTA stormed the area and prevented shop-owners salvaging valuable items from their shops before the demolition began.

Early this year, FCTA served notice of demolition to the shop owners, but the owners contested the move and instantly rejected the offer of alternative shopping complex by instituting court action against the administration.

“They asked us to relocate to the other side, and that place they are trying to take us to, they have not done anything. No lights, no proper arrangements for people to move in there. People have already paid. They said they should pay. I think they are paying about N250,000 for each shop. And about 300 shop owners have paid already, and nothing has been done properly,” one of the affected shop owners said.

Some of the affected persons lamented huge losses as a result of the demolition, saying the FCTA Task Force declined all entreaties to allow them to salvage some of their wares in the shops. 

In reaction, the FCTA said the complex had to be demolished to give way for the needed rebounding of the place.The 

Deputy Director, Monitoring and Inspection, Department of Development, Hassan Ogbole, said the demolition of the complex was to restructure it into a befitting shopping centre required to grow SMEs to address global business needs and challenges. 

Ogbole noted that the structures had become defective and there was need to upgrade it to the standard that would meet global business standards. 

He said provision had been made for the traders and other occupants of the complex to enable the reconstruction of the place.

He regretted that although adequate notices were given to the occupants of the place to enable them evacuate and allow the construction to start, many of them refused to vacate, while some deliberately refused to move out.

“The place is in a state of disrepair, the place is no longer habitable for occupation and business activities. The place has to give way for a new development.

“The company handling the development has informed Development Control and we are here to enforce compliance. We have given them enough notices for them to remove their goods, to enable us start the work,” he said.The Secretary, Command and Control, FCTA Department of Security, Peter Olumiji, said the demolition of the complex was necessary to curb criminal activities in the area.