19 Protesters Arrested at FCTA Agency

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Joint Task Force Team of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on City Sanitation, yesterday arrested 19 protesters for public disturbance at the premises of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Wuse, Abuja.

The protest at AMMC premises followed an outcry over the demolition of a Mechanic Village in Kubwa, by the officials of the AMMC Department of Development Control.

Director of Development and Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said 19 of the protesters were arrested for violent disruption of peace in the area.

He said the protesters stormed into the premises early yesterday when the workers in the building were going about their official assignments.

“We were having a meeting in a conference hall when we heard some noises. We decided to come and see what was happening and I saw some people with protest placards.

“Some of the people were talking about Kubwa mechanic village where they own shops in the village but were demolished by Development Control.

“But what proof do they have that they have allocations inside the area?” he asked.

He accused the mastermind of the protest of trespassing by building a mechanic village on someone’s property.

He added that Development Control ordered the demolition of the village, saying beyond building on illegal property, the action became necessary following a series of complaints of encroachment in the particular space by the rightful owners.

Galadima stated that the department would recommend the prosecution of the culprit. “This is a breach of peace, and they should be prosecuted. We are also going to find out who among our officers gave out the area for the development of a mechanic village. The officers involved must be dealt with accordingly,” he said.

Also speaking, the Secretary, FCTA’s Command and Control, Dr Peter Olumuji, said that the task force was out on enforcement duty when the distress call came in from development control over the protest. Olumuji said the arrested persons would be taken to Utako Police Division for proper investigation and possible prosecution for assault and vandalism.