Worried by the rise in crime rate and environmental nuisance experienced around the Dei-Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, has vowed to give priority attention to the ongoing clean-up exercise in the community.
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 FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah said FCT Minister has directed that all contraventions within the Dei-dei axis be tackled immediately.
Attah, who noted that Dei-dei had become a hub for worrisome criminal activities, vowed that the joint taskforce would ensure that sanity returns to the area.
According to him, Dei-dei junction has become crime infested, and a place where residents’ safety is under serious threat.
Attah explained that, “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.
He added that the exercise in the area has sent a serious signal to all the people involved in all the illegalities.
“We are tackling multiple issues, as you can see that with the help of Development Control, we have removed about three warehouses that are contravening regulations. It has sent signal that government does exist and the administration 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.
He noted that the warehouses indiscriminately springing up at Dei-Dei, either have engineering problems, without requisite approval, or encroachment on road corridors.
Galadima said, “We have two issues, one for engineering infrastructure, road corridor and two for building without requisite approval. 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 responsible to be up and doing in their respective areas of jurisdictions but maybe because of a long term non-challant attitude of some offers so we have moved them out of the areas.
The Assistant Director of Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Kaka Bello, revealed that plans have been marshalled out to keep the environmental nuisance in Deidei in checks.
Bello noted that the heavy population surge in the community had contributed hugely to the growing illegalities, but enforcement team will not be deterred.
