The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Monday, raided subways under bridges at the Central Business District (CBD), Maitama and Wuse, Abuja for providing shelter for bandits, robbers, pick-pockets and other undesirable elements in the nation’s capital.
The operation was carried out by the Joint Task Force on City Sanitation, coordinated by Mukhtar Galadima, as part of measures to rid the city of criminals.
It involved the security agencies, including the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the DSS, the National Drug Law Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
The team combed many tunnels and bridges around the three Arms Zone, in particular the Shehu Shagari Road, where the Police Headquarters, Ministry of Women Affairs Ministry, the Federal Secretariat and the Court of Appeal were located.
The extensive raid also spanned the tunnels and green areas beside Abia House, that connected River Plate Park all the way to National Mosque and Yar’Adua Centre.
The team also combed the Millennium and Chescon Parks in Maitama and Wuse respectively, where informal activities were taking place.
Three persons were arrested under the bridges for drug related issues, and were promptly handed over to NDLEA for further investigation and profiling.
Galadima, who is also the Director, FCT Department of Development Control, said the operation was pursuant to the directive of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, following complaints from residents in the city about the misuse and abuse of such facilities.
He said drastic action was taken to mitigate further abuse of the facilities that had become appalling because of poor sanitation.
“The honourable FCT Minister directed that we should take necessary action and today we are on a fact-finding mission to know what is really happening under the bridges and subways. From today, we can come out with our plan of action on the next step to be taken.
“With what we have seen today, it is really unfortunate that these things are happening in the city, where informal activities are taking place under the bridges and subways as well as people of questionable character, who are living there. We met some under 10 years kids under one of the bridges,” Galadima said.
He added that the findings were of great concern to the FCT Administration in the light of the security issues in the nation’s capital, and that they would not downplay the issues but take them up immediately.
“We have to step up our action on combing and monitoring these facilities and activities taking place there,” he added.
Also, Secretary, Command and Control Centre, of the FCT Security Services Department, Dr. Peter Olumuji, recalled that residents of the capital city had been raising concern on how they were attacked by criminals hibernating in the bushes, who often snatched their phone and bags and robbed them of their valuables, even while in their cars, whenever they traversed those locations.
After such robberies, the criminals would run into the tunnels and thicket around the bridges for cover.
“That is why we have decided to come and profile the canals and bridges within the capital cities. And what we saw is absolutely disturbing.
“We have all the security agencies represented here in this operation, so what we will do now is to commence effective clamp down on these criminal elements under the bridges,” Olumuji said.
Olawale Ajimotokan
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