The Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has vowed to give priority attention to the ongoing clearance operations in Dei-Dei and environs, noting that the level of criminalities and environmental nuisance in the area had reached a worrisome point.
Dei Dei, a suburb of the FCT has become notorious in recent times as a result of the increasing activities of phone thieves and organized criminal gangs who deal in drugs.
The exercise which commenced with removal of illegal warehouses and shanties around the Dei-Dei junction, is said to be a continuation of a citywide clean up.
Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Attah Ikharo said the Minister has directed that all contraventions within the axis be tackled immediately.
Ikharo who noted that the area had become very volatile and a hub for worrisome criminal activities, vowed that the joint taskforce would ensure that sanity returns to the community.
He said; “The FCT Minister passed through this place and frowned bitterly at what he saw around here and for a very long time, enforcement hasn’t come to Dei Dei, because it is a very volatile region. Dei Dei junction is very notorious, coupled with the traffic problem here.
“We are tackling multiple issues, as you can see that with the help of Development Control, we have removed about three warehouses that were contravening regulations. It has sent signals that government does exist and the FCT Minister is matching his word with action to rid the city of illegality”.
Also Speaking, the Director of Development Control, Muktar Galadima provided insight on the issue of government officials who aided the growth of illegalities in Dei Dei.
Galadima disclosed that such officers have been identified and transferred out from the department, while also subjecting them to all the administrative processes that will make them account for their misdeeds.
Galadima said; “We have two issues, one for engineering infrastructure, road corridors and two for building without requisite approvals. These are the two issues why we had to bring the structures down.
“Really, it is a sympathetic situation and very annoying situation because officers are supposed to be up and doing in their respective areas of jurisdiction but maybe because of a long term nonchalant attitude of some officers, so we have moved them out of the areas”.
The Assistant Director of Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, Kaka Bello revealed that plans have been marshalled out to keep the environmental nuisance in Dei Dei in check.
Bello noted that the heavy population surge in the community had contributed hugely to the growing illegalities, but that the enforcement team would not be deterred.
