Protesters Arrested at Abuja Council Premises Following Demolition Dispute
A group of protesters, totaling 19 individuals, were apprehended by the Joint Task Force team of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on City Sanitation in Abuja. The protesters had gathered at the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) premises in Wuse to express their discontent over the recent demolition of a Mechanic Village in Kubwa by officials of the AMMC’s Department of Development Control.
According to Mr. Mukhtar Galadima, the Director of the Development Control department, the protesters disrupted peace at the council premises, leading to their arrest. Galadima clarified that the demolition of the Kubwa Mechanic Village was carried out due to illegal construction on someone else’s property. He questioned the protesters’ claims, emphasizing the lack of evidence of legitimate allocations within the area.
Galadima revealed that the sponsors of the protest had established what they termed a mechanic village on a property without proper authorization, and the demolition was a response to repeated complaints of encroachment on the rightful owner’s space.
Describing the protest as “simply thuggery,” Galadima announced the intention to recommend the prosecution of the culprits. He also pledged to investigate any officers within the department responsible for permitting the development without proper authorization.
Dr. Peter Olumuji, the Secretary of FCTA’s Command and Control, explained that the task force was on enforcement duty when they received a distress call from the development control unit regarding the protest. Olumuji emphasized the immediate response to the scene, preventing the vandalism of premises and vehicles, as well as assaults on development control officers.
The arrested individuals are set to be taken to the Utako Police Division for thorough investigation and potential prosecution, as stated by Dr. Olumuji.
Source: NAN
