The intensive clampdown on illegal squatter settlements within the nation’s capital, is helping mitigating security challenges in the territory, the FCT Administration has stated.
The FCT minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, who noted that collaboration between the various divisions of the Nigeria Police with the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, is not just ensuring sanity in the FCT, but also the safety of residents of the territory.
The minister said it was commendable that there is budding interagency collaboration between the Police and AEPB in tackling the proliferation of squatter settlements used as criminal hideouts in the city.
He spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, who observed the clearing of illegal make shift settlements built on flood plains, in Maitama and Wuse Districts of Abuja.
He disclosed that the Maitama Police Division had identified the place as a criminal hideout, where people come in very offensive manner, to build shanties and other structures, and wanted them removed, s they met the environmental team headed by Kaka Bello through the AEPB Director.
According to him, “It is commendable that we have inter agency collaboration between the AEPB and Nigeria Police, going around Maitama axis, clearing shanties and criminal hideouts.
“They are doing a wonderful job across the Maitama District, that is why the minister really insists on. This is what the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello have canvassed, and already insisted on it going forward that within the confines of government, there should be heavy inter agency collaboration.”
Also speaking, Head, Monitoring and enforcement, AEPB, TPL Kaka Bello, said the collaboration is in line with the board’s continuous effort to ensure that the city is clean and safe for the inhabitants.
He noted that the safety of the inhabitants of the structures and the neighbourhood is not guaranteed, considering the nature of the structures and people occupying them.
He disclosed that they have been given a matching order by AEPB Director, to work in collaboration with the Police, to ensure that all illegal squatter settlements and other sundry nuisances in the city are removed.
