The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished illegal structures and shanties, popularly referred to as “Cashew Garden,” in the Apo Cadastral Zone E27, Abuja.
The move is part of an ongoing citywide sanitation and security operation aimed at removing criminal hideouts.
The exercise, carried out on Tuesday, was led by Mukhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control, who said the action followed directives from the FCT Security Committee.
According to Galadima, the area had become a hotspot for miscreants and activities posing threats to residents.
“You recall that we were at Zone 3, Wuse, and UTC for similar exercises since the commencement of the operation. Today, we are in Apo, dislodging shanties and miscreants that pose security threats to the community,” Galadima said.
What they said
Steven Obiozo, Chairman of the demolished settlement, insisted that the roughly 200 occupants were not criminals. He said the land was given to them by the plot owner, and that they had set up makeshift shops and tents to sell provisions, food, beer, and soft drinks.
However, Galadima maintained that the occupation was illegal, lacking any form of government authorisation. He stressed that the FCTA would revoke land allocations for plot owners who permit such unauthorised settlements, especially when they harbour individuals involved in crime.
“The area was designated for residential purposes, but the allottees failed to develop their plots within the stipulated time. Based on directives from the FCT Security Committee, we are taking over the area,” Galadima said.
What we know
The director noted that the location was part of a planned district, with a clearly defined road corridor demarcated by a deep trench known as S20 extending from Oladipo Diya through FHA Apo to Guzape 2. He warned that all plot owners who allowed illegal structures on their land would have their allocations withdrawn.
The operation, he added, will extend to all parts of the FCT as part of efforts to enforce urban planning regulations and improve security.
Adamu Gwary, Director of the Security Services Department at the FCTA, emphasised that the administration was intensifying its crackdown on criminal elements in the capital. Represented by Dr. Peter Olumuji, Secretary of the Command and Control Unit, Gwary said some of the occupants were involved in illicit drug activities.
“One thing we want criminal elements to know is that the FCT is no longer a place they can hibernate. Wherever they go, we will pursue and remove them,” he warned.
The demolition forms part of broader FCTA efforts to restore Abuja’s master plan, ensure public safety, and reclaim spaces from unauthorised use.
LAWLESS country. Virtually every space is converted into a makeshift market, mechanics workshop or shanty…SMH