ABUJA – Against all please, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday demolished illegal structures obstructing the Jabi-Dakibu road corridor.
This is as affected residents cry foul that they paid N10,000 each to the local chief in order to halt the demolition exercise.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah who led the cleanup in the Idu area, in collaboration with the Department of Development Control, Security Services, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and all relevant security agencies said no matter the plea, the illegal structures will be demolished.
He decried the rate at which people encroach on road corridors in Abuja and said the Minister is very sad and would continue to reclaim the road corridor from the illegal squatters.
According to him, “We are in Jabi-Dakibiu to reclaim the road corridor where people built and encroach upon. Land is exhaustible when people finish selling their land, then they start selling the road corridors “.
Responding to the complaint of the residents that they contributed N10,000 in order to dissuade FCT staff from removing their illegal structures, Attah hinted, “It is a sad irony, once your place is marked for removal just pack and move to another place, no single indigene is here now. The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has warned us on the issue of taking bribe from anybody and today we have come to remove it and the person who collected the money am sure he is not here.
“Those who gave bribes are already weeping and trying to pack their things. I will advise them not to give bribes and not to build on the road corridor again.
“For those who contributed N10,000 each and gave to the Chief for onward transmission to us should go back to the Chief because we don’t take bribes “.
He said the indigene always denied selling land to them but what they sold to them were farmlands so he urged Abuja, residents, to stop buying lands from the locals.
One of those affected residents, Blessing who was in tears said, she just bought the house in January 2023 for N1.4m.
“I just bought this house in January, for N1.4 million, from the former owner who has relocated abroad. I don’t have anywhere to go, I was at work when my neighbour phoned me that they have demolished my house”.
Also, Esara from Akwa Ibom state, said he has been living in the area for 12 years. He said his former place was demolished so he moved to Dakibiu to rent.
“When they came to mark, they told us they won’t come if we settle them, so we contributed N10,000 per house which we gave to the vigilante to give to the Chief to help us talk to them.
“It is the Chief of Dakibiu that sold the land, he sell N150, 000 for one bedroom apartment”.
Meanwhile, Andrew Ayame, who said he is from Kaduna state, said he packed and relocated his family before the bulldozers arrived on Thursday. He commended FCTA for giving them enough time to relocate.
“I am helping some of the victims because they are not around and my house too is affected. They gave us notice so I had to relocate my family. I am just helping my friend”, he said.
Sources:Independent
