We’ll remove all shanties in Abuja – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday, insisted that all shanties in Abuja will be removed to ensure security of lives and properties in the country’s capital city.

Wike made this known while addressing occupants of a shanty village in the Wuye area of Abuja on Sunday evening.

He said he was more concerned with the security implications of having settlements with no identifiable occupants in the FCT and would not succumb to threats and blackmail from any quarter.

Wike, however, directed occupants of the Wuye shanty village to appoint five persons among themselves to meet with the FCT Ministry on Tuesday, to fashion out means of assisting them.

According to Wike: “As you can see, we have had issues of insecurity in the FCT and the security agencies have been working 24 hours to make sure that Abuja is safe.

“We have identified areas that pose security threats, like this place that has rail line passing through. If we allow this kind of people to be here, it is a security threat to the operation of our trains and no right thinking government will allow that.

“No government worth its salt will fold its hands and allow this place to be occupied by hoodlums or people no one can account for.”

He added that no amount of blackmail, intimidation or threat from any civil society organisation will prevent the government from doing what is right.

Speaking on behalf of the occupants, Abba Garu, pleaded with the government to assist them in finding shelter.

He admitted that they just erected temporary structures on the land, since it was not occupied and had lived there for years.

He assured that the occupants will not rebuild their houses as they have done before.