The combined security joint task force of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), over the weekend, raided Wuse market garden suspected to be used as a hideout for illicit drug dealers and den of fake AMAC task collectors within the area and arrested 10 suspected fraudsters.
The Senior Special Assistant on Community Development to the AMAC Chairman and the Coordinator of the AMAC Taskforce on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement in charge of the team, Yunusa Ahmadu Yusuf, after the arrest, said the suspects were apprehended following the tireless efforts of the Taskforce in combing black spots illegal task collectors who specialize in using the name of AMAC and fake receipt to swindle the general public within the Council, especially in the area of Mobile Advert revenue of AMAC.
He explained that the suspects mostly male had turned the garden directly opposite the popular Wuse market main entrance gate into their haven for criminal activities.
Yusuf said the team would stop at nothing in riding the entire Council of criminal elements that threaten revenue and the peace of the Abuja Municipal Area Council and its residents.
He disclosed that items recovered from them include fake AMAC jackets with inscriptions of AMAC Taskforce on them, fake AMAC receipts, AMAC ID cards, illicit drugs and charms.
According to him, the 10 suspects would be profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.
Yusuf said: “We have arrested about 10 suspected fraudsters faking AMAC recipients and operational permit, and they have mentioned name of their bosses which includes one Mr Ebere Nwaokocha, Onyeka Cletus Odama, Reuben Emuraishe Christian and being supported by Babagana Adam, Director, Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signages.
“We are going to take many of them to court, they operate as unauthorised AMAC technical partners, we did not engage any of them to collect revenue in mobile Advert and places in AMAC which is an offence. They want to hide within that garden, some places in area 11, Utako, Jabi and black spots in order to commit havoc in AMAC.
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“We will do thorough profiling because we are suspecting that there could be Agbero from some garages around the FCT and escapes Kuje Correctional Centre.
“We are starting from Wuse axis, and we will expand it to other areas, the exercise will reach all the revenue areas of the Council because the Council Chairman Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu has made it clear that his administration will have zero tolerance on revenue Leakages of the Council. And has maintained that he will go all out to apprehend perpetrators of illegality in AMAC as it concerns revenue collection in AMAC.
“We have told them to find where they will go or find another job because they can’t fight an elected government. We have not asked DOAS or any other names mentioned above to help us or collect revenue in AMAC on our behalf. We have agreed that if you fight us, we will fight you.
“This operation is one that the security agencies have started since, we are about to start the operation mass with inclusion of DSS and the military because this illegality must stop. We voted this government into power and we must use the revenue generated and work for them at the rural communities. we want to clear the city centre off of criminals and fraudsters.
“We have agreed as a government to do it together. I’m the coordinator of this joint task force that comprises the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Immigration Service, DSS and other sister agencies. And all of us combined, you can see the result. We start major operation next week and by the time we are done with them the entire Council will be sanitized,” he said.
