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

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

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

He however directed that the occupants of the Wuye shanty village should appoint five persons among themselves to meet with the FCT Ministry on Tuesday, November 12, to fashion out means of assisting them.

Wike said: “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.

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“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.

“Therefore, no amount of blackmail, intimidation, or threat from any civil society organisation will prevent us from doing what is right.”

Abba Garu, who spoke on behalf of the occupants, said the recent demolition of the shanties by the FCT Administration was the 22nd time, pleading with the government to assist them in finding shelter.

Garu added that they (occupants) erected temporary structures on the land since it was not occupied and had lived there for years.

Garu, who assured that the occupants would not rebuild their houses as they had done before, thanked Wike for the opportunity to meet with officials of the ministry to seek means of helping them.

The Star