By Sarah NEGEDU
At least 15 suspected criminals were smoked out of forests around the Jiwa/Dei-Dei axis, Monday, when the FCT Task Team on City Sanitation raided the area.
The raid, the administration said, is part of measures to calm the tension that followed the mayhem that took place in Dei-Dei, last week, where four persons reportedly lost their lives.
The forest is said to be a notorious hideout where miscreants are reportedly recruited to unleash mayhem in the area.
The Sarkin Jiwa, HRH Alhaji Idris Musa, who endorsed the raid, also confirmed that the forest harbours criminals who disturb the peace of the communities.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, said the operation was necessitated by public outcry against the activities of scavengers, popularly known as baban bolas.
Attah noted that while residents confirmed the involvement of the scavengers in the Dei-Dei crisis, it has been also established that a lot of notorious crimes were traceable to them.
He bemoaned a situation where scavengers are often found to be moving around with dangerous weapons and attacking innocent residents.
According to him, the operation will be extended to other places where these criminal elements are believed to hide.
Attah stressed that while the FCTA had no plans to stop legitimate business of waste collection and recycling, it also has the responsibility to tackle all forms of crimes and criminalities carried out under any guise.
“We got intensive complaints about insecurity around Jiwa axis and communities that have come under attacks by people believed to be baban bolas. This areas is also notorious as it was the place where two police officers were ambushed and their rifles were also taken away, before they were later recovered.
“This is why we have to come out today under the directives of the FCT Minister, to clean all the dangerous forests where these people are taking shelter and wreaking havoc on the residents. We have arrested over 15 persons.
“Waste collection and recycling are not crimes, but the crimes associated with Baban Bolas, is what we will not fold our hands and watch.”
A resident of Kagini community, Mr. Chidiebere Nwajiuba, confirmed the notoriety of the scavengers in the area, saying that he had fallen victim several times.
He said that his car has been vandalised, while buildings under construction in his site within the same area were attacked and all iron stolen by the scavengers.
