By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, on Tuesday, issued a week’s notice to hundreds of squatters mainly suspected hoodlums taking refuge under bridges in Garki, Wuse II, Maitama and Wuse Districts of Abuja, to immediately leave or face the wrath of the law.

According to the FCTA, some of the affected places are supposed to be green spots but they are virtually turned into where people stay in slums, and carry out nefarious activities in the city.

Making this point, Dr. Fred Kpakol, Senior Special Assistant (SSA)  on Environmental and Waste Management to  the FCT Minister, decried that the invaded under bridges have become an eyesore, where people are burning  firewood, which will affect their lifespan and eventually bring about the collapse of the bridges.

Kpakol spoke when he led officials of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), to sensitise the squatters on the looming health and security threats, as they are prone to diseases and death within such places and its environs.

He warned those staying under bridges in different parts of the city to leave as it is going to carry out an operation storm under the bridges and clear any miscreants and people who are not supposed to be there, at the expiration of the notice.

He said: “The full arm of the law will be invoked, that is why we have given them one week to be out of these places, because we are going to be moving from place to place, and make sure that things  are put in the right place where they are supposed to be. 

“You are aware of the prevailing kidnappings and other atrocities people commit from different places and run under the bridges, taking refuge under the slums there, which is unacceptable.

“The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is out to give the people a renewed-hope, through the instrumentalities in the hands of the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, who is prepared to make the city clean, and for this city to be clean, slums like this has to be taking care of.

“Because the security of this city is very important as the face of Nigeria, and we cannot deface the country, we want to warn on a very strong  note that any human being that comes here to stay must have to leave.

“If you have the capacity or potential to do something in the city, then you take up what is right for you to do, and stay, not just to come and look anywhere to stay, and become a nuisance to the society. It is totally unacceptable, and we have given them one week, within which we will come and evacuate them from these places.”

On the decision to sensitise the squatters before dislodging  them, the Minister’s Aide: “This government has a human face, that is why we want to appeal to them, by speaking to their conscience that there is no need to lose hope or feel that if they don’t have anything to do, then they stay under bridges. This is a suicidal mission, as there could be an outbreak of epidemic that could consume all of them.

Also, on the appeal for the government to provide an alternative place for the displaced persons to relocate to, Kpakol said the government cannot do everything, but there are agencies of government that they can reach out to, for possible intervention.

Similarly, Deputy Director Monitoring and Enforcement, AEPB, Kaka Bello, reiterated that at the expiration of notice served, enforcement will be carried out with relevant agencies at some of the bridges on Ahmadu Bello Way, Ademola Adetokumbo way, Wuse II and the Park way, along the Wuse market area.

Bello added that some of the notorious spots are the bridge close to Transcorp Hilton on Ademola Adetokumbo way, the Park way close to Wuse market, before the Kashim Ibrahim Bridge, the bridge on Ahmadu Bello Way close to Diamond Bank Junction and also the bridge just before Area 11, where there are a lot of artisans.

“Though we have been able to remove them, the harm done to these infrastructure can be seen clearly. We are going to carry out the much needed enforcement so we are appealing to them to vacate all the bridges.

“They should take this as a final notice to evacuate their things, because in a week’s time we will move in and start removing all those nuisances”, he stressed.

Some of the affected persons who spoke, attributed their continued invasion of the bridges to economic hardship in the land.

They however, made passionate appeals to the government to assist them to find another place to relocate, in order to continue their economic activities.

For one Iya Gizo, who identified herself as a widow, who hails from Nasarawa State, although she was aware of the dangers of living under the bridge, there is no other available place for her to stay and do business, so as to cater for herself and family.

Also, an artisan operating under the bridge, near City Park in Wuse II, Emmanuel Abraham, decried that the looming clearance operation would not only dislodge him and others struggling to survive, but make them more vulnerable to the prevailing security and economic threats  in the city.