Insecurity: FCTA Dislodges Scavengers from Abuja Bridges

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja 

The Department of Development Control of the FCT Administration has ejected scavengers hibernating under Abuja bridges to attack innocent residents. 

The Director, Department of Development Control, Muktha Galadima, said the measures was targeted at sanitising the territory to make it a place where pickpockets and bag snatchers would no longer hide to attack innocent residents.

Galadima, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement of the Department, Mr Hassan Ogbole, said the Department was directed to dislodge the  criminals from under bridges and subways with a view to preventing unwholesome, gruesome wicked acts of the supposed scavengers.

The exercise, which started at the bridge under Abia House, leading to the National Mosque axis, will be carried out in about 10 bridges across the territory. 

During Tuesday’s operation, security agencies uncovered sleeping mats, blankets, empty plastic bottles, assorted wine bottles, cartons, blankets and cooking pot with food on fire.

The scavengers fled the scene at the sight of the taskforce. 

Galadima, who expressed dismay at the damages impacted on the bridges, said the scavengers would be profiled and taken to the Wasa site layout, while the spaces would be put to good economic uses. 

He assured the FCT residents that the location would be handed over to park operators to manage. 

“Gone are those days when places recovered are not being put into use effectively. Some of these subways and under bridges were proposed subject to the minister’s approval that they should be given to relevant agencies and individuals, parks and commercial outfits who will manage them. 

“So this is the purpose.They would be put into active use for sustainability. So it is left to those who will manage them to decide on what to do for a little token.

“Some of the challenges we have discovered is that the  some of the pillars of the bridges have been exposed through the activities of the  scavengers and some due to ecological factors. This is a big discovery for everybody.

“The call for these scavengers — it is a very serious issue, they are all over the city. The Wasa Layout has made provision for scavengers and ‘pantakers’, so we will organise them through the urban affairs to profile them and take them there to stay and not to scatter all over the city,” Galadima declared.

On his part, the Secretary, Command and Control Centre, FCTA, Dr Peter Olumiji, vowed that the FCTA would make Abuja under bridges unconducive for all criminal elements in the territory. 

He declared that the security of lives and property of everyone in the FCT was of utmost importance to the FCT Administration, adding that all Divisional Police jurisdictions had been informed that all these bridges should be kept secured.