Efforts to end the rise of shanties and slums in the Federal Capital City may be a herculean task for the FCT Administration, as inmates of a popular Ruga settlement have vowed to remain till they are resettled by government.
The settlement located by the Abuja City Gate is said to have been demolished over 20 times, as illegal settlers always return to the area.
Secretary of Community, Ibrahim Yusuf, who decried the frequent demolition of the community, ascribed the rise in slums to the high cost of accommodation in Abuja.
Yusuf, who pointed out that residents of the community also contribute to the socio-economic growth of the FCT, asked the Administration to consider relocating or developing low-cost housing for them.
He added that while residents of the community are ready to vacate the area, they are not willing to leave the FCT.
“Most of these houses in Abuja are built by our people as labourers and different kinds of services, as a lot of us do so many things, but nobody wants to even know. What they tell us all the time is you people are living in an illegal area, so leave the place.
“We cannot afford other places to relocate to and live within the city. If I’m staying in satellite town transportation is an issue, how much will I spend in a month.
“We have been in this community for more than 20 years, and they have come for demolition here more than 20 times, and we are still here. We are appealing to the government that we want a resettlement. Whatever condition they can give us, to wrestle us, I think we are ready to accept those conditions. This is just our appeal.
“We can be ready to vacate the place, but we are not ready to leave Abuja. Because, we would always want to find a place to put our heads, it means demolition will continue. So, it is important for us to come to terms with the government, so that we will have an understanding. So nobody is fighting anyone.”
However, the Director of Security Services, Adamu Gwary, who led a joint task team to the site charged land owners to begin developing their plots to discourage shanties from creeping back.
The Director who was represented by the Secretary, FCT Command and Control Centre, Dr. Peter Olumuji, said the exercise was based on ministerial directive to rid the city of every form of nuisance and criminality.
“Because of the concern of the FCT Administration established a special task team called ‘Operation Sweep’ headed by the Commissioner of FCT, CP Olatunji Disu. We have been working from day one, and this is the 9th day.
“Ruga village is where we have a lot of shanties and other illegal structures on peoples’ plots of land, and it has been established overtime these structures harbour criminal elements and all unauthorised persons, who go into activities that are abominable to the law of the land.
“The site is also close to the rail corridors, and we must always make such places safer for those using the Metro line. This is why we removed the illegal structures. You know we have had incidences of vandalism of the rail tracks.
“Coming here to remove this unplanned settlement and shanties would improve security of the rail corridor. The operation is a holistic one that covers different activities in the city.”
On ensuring that those displaced don’t return to reoccupy the area, he said, “The FCT Minister has categorically said that all those who own plots land in the city should develop it or face revocation.
“Most of them here have complained overtime that they have not been able to have access to their plots of land because of these shanties and criminal elements there.
“They have tried to take over their plots of land in time past, and they have come under attack, but today the FCTA had come with the Task team to help them clear the place. So let the owners of the plots of land there to immediately take over and start development.”
