Environment
FCT Residents should Expect more Clean ups, Demolitions-Attah
Ikahro Attah is the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister and a journalist. In this interview with Laide Akinboade, he speaks on the renewed demolition exercise of illegal structures in Abuja and other efforts of FCT Administration to uphold Abuja as a modern city
Give us the brief history of how the renewed vigour in cleaning up Abuja and enforcement of its Master plan all began again?
My history of enforcement is something I never planned or expected.
It started on September 18, 2019. I was one of the journalists covering the State House, I had approached the FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello, for questions on gridlock on Nyanya -Keffi Road and he told me to come and see him on the 19th of September, I went there to get exclusive interview.To my shock the Minister announced, he wanted to form a traffic management team, I saw men in uniform around his office. He said he want to form the team to address problem of traffic in Abuja – Keffi Road and I was standing by he said, ”You journalist, you are the chairman of the task force on the Abuja FCT Traffic management team.
Many thanks to those who had to encourage me, I know the job could have been done without me. But after the success recorded in Abuja -Keffi
Road, the Minister had to move me to Dutse-Alhaji Road.
Then when Covid-19 came I was so happy because I thought I was going to rest, because the stress of traffic work was so heavy. But during COVID-19 pandemic, the burden of enforcement was so heavy that we had to do heavy enforcement work. Shortly after that the appointment came as Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement.
How long have you been on enforcement?
I have been doing enforcement work since September 19th, 2019, about three years ago.
What prompted you to accept the appointment from Minister?
What prompted me was the series of activities. Largely the former FCT Minister, Bala Muhammad, had always told me and other journalists that we shouldn’t limit ourselves to be only Senior Assistant, Media alone, or Chief Press Secretary but as a journalist we should be ready to do anything, we should be ready to do anything outside our purview. But the day the Minister announced my appointment I was shocked but he already believed in me with all the men in uniform that were there . And when we went to see the former FCT Police commander, Bala Ciroma, he encouraged me and told me I can do the job. Even the former FCT Permanent Secretary, Ohaa also said I can do the job, it seems as if all the people around me believe I can do the job but I am the only person that was a bit worried and wondering how can I metamorphose from being a journalist to an enforcement officer. From that point since everyone believed in me, I had to believe in myself very quickly.
I went out and I discovered we were getting results and getting good results . Although there are knocks here and there but that is normal in enforcement.
How many clean ups have you done in the last three years?
I don’t have the precise number. We done traffic management team where we had to clean up Nyanya Market area, cleanup Dutse Alhaji Market area and Maitama Market in Kubwa area.
Later we went for Covid-19 enforcement even within we removed some night clubs, we removed some “Gida drama” and we came to some areas where we had to do demolition. It is what we do everyday. I don’t think I can count. They are so many.
On the clean up, what more should Abuja residents expect?
They should expect more clean ups everywhere. Kuje is an area we are coming, “pantakers,” Apo, Dutse Market, is very much there, Nyanya straight to Karchi, the Airport Road is one area that is very dear to the Minister of FCT.
The entire Airport Road is very dear to the Minister and he has asked us to constantly go there especially some of the indigenous villages to remove squatters there, we have done Zamani Village but we have not finished. We have babanbola, (cart pushing waste collectors), we have them across the city, we need to smoke them out and removed them. They are enormous.
What are your challenges?
Our major challenges are sometimes attacks. We come under attacks and sometimes our team members are injured. I can always tell them in enforcement if you are not under attack then you are not doing enforcement. If people don’t confront you, you are not doing enforcement, may be you are just playing around. There is the issue of personnel. We need more personnel , because you must overwhelm the crowd. The FCTA is funding us now but if they can do more funding it will allow us do very much more .
The main issue here is the fact that we get knocks from people. But it is normal and we are getting use to them. The knocks beat us into shape.
In all your clean ups, which one will its memory linger in you for a long time?
The one attack I will never forget is the one at Luigu. The one that would stay with me for a long time is the Mpape clean up because Mpape people were almost 100 per cent certain that we cannot have access to their community. I really find it worrisome they said during el-Rufai, Mpape didn’t witness a single bulldozer activity. There was so much talk about Mpape and it will stay very long in me because we were able to dimistify that belief that government never comes to Mpape with machine to do demolition but we came. Someone once told me what government cannot do, is what government is not willing to do. Government can do so much if they want to do.
What message do you have for people buying, building, selling illegal land?
If you build or buy illegal land from chiefs and others, it would be removed, even if it is not by us but by others in future. There is certainty that someone who will come and do the purging. Even if we don’t do it someone will do it
As SSA on Enforcement to the Minister, what is your vision?
I have keyed into the vision of FCT Minister. We will rid the city of illegality, squatters settlements and get babanbola out of Abuja because they are wrecking havoc.
What do you think can be done to permanently rid Abuja of illegalities in erection of structures?
The permanent thing to be done to stop illegality is for the work to be done every day. There is no permanent solution even in the United States, China, you must permanently be doing the job every day. There is no permanent solution to get rid of illegality. The removal of illegality has to be permanent. Remove them so that the people would have it in mind that enforcement is on and then you kill illegality.
Where you are looking for a permanent solution and sit in the office and be pushing file out, will not work. The permanent solution is for you to tackle it everyday.
As the Rainy Season kicks in, how do you intend to prevent flooding again it this year in the FCT?
We have removed some structures and we are going to be removing more structures. We will be engaging more the FCT Minister, the FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr. Shehu Hadi, Director Development Control, Muktar Galadima, we are all discussing where we can use both planning solution like demolition, restoring the master plan as well as engineering solution by creating more pathway for water to pass in districts like Lokogoma, Trademore Estate and so many others. So that we can get urban water to quickly flow out so that it won’t flood houses or wreck havoc in the communities.
Traffic on Nyanya -Keffi Road, what is the way out? We have been working. The first thing we did was to remove Nyanya Market off the main road. Those days on Wednesdays which is the market day, nobody going to that axis can walk freely, everyone closes from the office on time because the road would be clogged but now we have pushed the market away from the main road.
On a market day now, the clogging has reduced. We are hoping that soon we will be able to push all of them from the road and free the entire market stretch there and no more trading in that area, while the Ministry of Works is working on the road expansion. There is also the problem of roadside trading that we are still removing, sadly the issue of Abacha Road entry point where some people are selling. We have told the Nassarawa State government to get them off. Once Abacha Road blocks, it stretches almost to Nyanya Bridge, that shows we are heavily connected.
What advise do you have concerning illegalities in Abuja?
Abuja is a project and it is a big project for everyone of us and we all must key in and be committed. Residents must not allow illegalities, they shouldn’t encourage “babanbola.” Let us follow the rules.
What is it about “babanbola”(cart pushing waste collectors)?We are going after them massively because what should have been a beautiful business of waste collection and recycling has turned to be very dangerous criminals business, where criminals hide in the dumps, they go with daggers, knife, and all dangerous weapons.
We are going after them strongly, they must purge themselves. The criminal element must leave. Any community where “babanbola” gather, there is massive stealing and people are being attacked daily. Those are the ones we are targeting and we are going to purge them out.
In a bid to tackle environmental degradation impacting negatively on communities in Kaduna state, Bridge That Gap Hope for Africa Initiative (BTG), in partnership with the Network of Civil Society in Environment (NCSE) has launched a transformative project aimed at empowering women and advancing sustainable climate governance.
Executive Director Bridge that Gap Hope for Africa Initiative (BTG), Gloria Kasang Bulus, who dropped the hint in Kaduna during the week, regretted that environmental disasters and shocks have deepened poverty and eco-anxiety among women who remain grossly under-represented in decision-making.
The project is tagged “Women Empowerment and Climate Resilience Initiative”While revealing that the project would focus on three Local Government Areas of Zaria, Chikun, and Zango Kataf, Ms Bulus stated that reports from these three local councils were troubling because “they show high levels of environmental degradation, food insecurity and limited female representation in governance structures”
“Kaduna state faces a troubling mix of environmental, social, and economic challenges.
From extensive deforestation and desertification to resource shortages and ecosystem breakdowns, the impacts of climate change have become severe. A report by Global Forest Watch shows that in 2023 alone, the state lost over 5,400 hectares of natural forest, leading to 1.94 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions.These environmental shocks have worsened poverty and eco-anxiety, especially among women who are disproportionately affected but remain underrepresented in decision-making. Although women play important roles in agriculture, small businesses, and household sustainability, they often lack access to platforms and resources that could help them influence climate policies and local development strategies.
The project focuses on LGAs with some of the worst environmental records:
- Zaria LGA suffers from massive vegetation loss due to fuelwood consumption, which accounts for nearly 40% of its deforestation. According to satellite data from 1973 to 2014, over 80% of vegetation in the area has been degraded, highlighting the urgent need for clean energy alternatives and community-led environmental restoration (Global Forest Watch).
- Zango Kataf LGA faces challenges from erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and soil degradation. Women and internally displaced persons are especially vulnerable to water shortages and land conflicts, worsened by deforestation caused by agricultural practices.
- Chikun LGA, especially communities like Kakau Daji, is experiencing rapid environmental decline due to firewood collection and industrial pollution from nearby petrochemical plants. The ecosystem has suffered from biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and toxic emissions.
With women at the forefront
focusing on gender inclusion and environmental sustainability, the project aims to strengthen women-led coalitions by improving their policy advocacy skills, providing them with energy-efficient cookstoves, and developing a climate action plan that considers gender and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in line with the Kaduna State Climate Change Policy.
“Women are central to community life. They manage natural resources, care for households, and make significant contributions to the economy.
“However, they still face marginalization in important decisions about the environment and development. By providing women with advocacy tools and encouraging cooperation among policymakers, civil society, and the private sector, the project aims to change this situation”, Bulus volunteered.
According to her, the goals of the initiative is built around four core objectives:
*Enhancing Policy Advocacy Capacity – Training women’s groups to participate in governance structures and advocate for inclusive climate strategies.
*Developing Inclusive Climate Action Plans – Ensuring that gender and PWD perspectives are prioritized in environmental policies.
*Promoting Climate Adaptation – Implementing grassroots solutions like reforestation, clean energy use, and climate-smart agriculture.
*Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration – Fostering collaboration among women’s coalitions, government agencies, and environmental stakeholders.
She assured that her organization remains determined to build sustainable communities by removing barriers to basic rights of vulnerable populations.
The organization has also concluded preparations to plant 15,000 trees in the state. To date, over three thousand (3000) economic and forest trees have been planted in Chikun LGA and its environs.
She further disclosed:
“Journalists in Kaduna will also receive training to enhance their skills in effective writing and reporting on climate change-related issues.
“The Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) Project supports coalitions that influence governments to address climate and governance issues affecting the poorest and most vulnerable communities. It aims to boost state government revenue from internal sources, integrate climate actions into state policy, planning, and budgets, and enhance election delivery and credibility.
The program, she stated, is being carried out in Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa in northwestern Nigeria, with focused strategic engagement at both federal and regional levels.
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has called for a lasting solution to eradicate environmental pollution caused by plastic wastes.
In her message to mark the year 2025 World Environment Day, with the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’, in Abuja on Thursday, the first lady also advised people to curtail the way they consume food and drinks packaged in plastics.
“I join millions of Nigerians and the world in calling for urgent and united action to safeguard our environment.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, affecting our health, our environment, and our future.“In Nigeria, we must rise to this challenge by changing how we consume packaged food items and how we dispose of plastic containers and bags.
“I particularly want to speak to our youths, the leaders of tomorrow, be it in schools or within our neighborhoods, each of you has a role to play in creating a cleaner, healthier and greener Nigeria,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu had recently promised to introduce environmental solutions clubs to schools through her NGO, Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
“I want to use this opportunity to introduce our students to two programmes that the RHI will be launching soon.
“First is the Environment Club for Secondary School Students and the Environment Society for Students in Tertiary institutions nationwide to help us clean up our environment and grow more trees.
“Second is the “Flow with Confidence” for our girls in rural communities.
“This programme is to provide one year’s supply of disposable sanitary pads to our adolescent girls to support them to remain in school during their menstrual cycle,” She said.
NAN further reports that some of the functions of RHI environmental clubs in schools would include raising environmental awareness; fostering social and life skills; empowering students to take action and promoting sustainable behaviours.
The clubs can also enhance critical thinking and creativity, encourage healthy lifestyles, and strengthen communities.
The club would encourage students to participate in various environmental projects, like tree planting, recycling, and garden projects, gaining practical experience and deeper understanding.(NAN))
Abia Government says it will offset the hospital bills of the Aba Billboard accident victims.
Mrs Victoria Onwubiko, Managing Director, Abia State Signage and Advertising Agency (ABSAA) made this known on Thursday in Aba at the Salad Market entrance, the site of the accident.
A big billboard fell on some passengers in five tricycles in Aba on Wednesday, following a boisterous wind, killing one person and injuring seven others.
Onwubiko said the governor had given the necessary approval for procedures regarding the victims’ treatment without hindrances.
“So, we are glad there are not going to be any more deaths; from what we have seen, the victims in the hospital are recovering and doing well.
“We understand that about eight persons were involved in the accident; five are at the Abia University Teaching Hospital, two have been discharged and one is died,” she said.
Onwubiko added that the governor had sent his Chief of Staff to the hospital for the proper management of the victims at ABSUTH, Aba.
According to her, there is no hoping that any one of them will go to the court as the state government is doing everything to take care of them.
He said ABSAA would ensure such accidents did not reoccur noting that henceforth the agency would inspect every advertising site in the state.
“We are going to ask the owners of sites like this to give us the technical drawings with which they built their sites.
“If we don’t see them, the bill board will come down for them to redo it to ensure safety,” she said.
The ABSAA MD said every site, whether high or low, which is not sound, will go down.
Mr Chinedu Nwibo, an eye-witness and a vulcaniser for tricycle operators, said there were seven persons at the entrance of the Salad Market on that Wednesday when the accident occurred.
“We were inside a little makeshift shop I had set up for my work when the rain started on Wednesday.
“The wind was very boisterous and some of the tricycle operators went into their tricycles to stay for the rain to stop.
“No sooner had they ran into their tricycles than a big iron pipe used to hoist a billboard fell on them.
“One Destiny Uguru, 27, from Izzi in Ebonyi state died from the accident while seven persons sustained injury,” he said.
Nwibo called on the government to come to the aid of the victims especially by replacing their tricycles.
“The man that lost his life has an expectant wife and two children,” he said. (NAN)
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