The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration City Sanitation Taskforce has demolished a criminal hideout located in the Apo Resettlement area of Abuja.
The location, often referred to as a “dark spot,” had reportedly become a hub for criminal elements who used it as a base to carry out illicit activities across the city.
Speaking during the operation on Thursday, the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, explained that the area had been linked to several incidents of violence, including killings by miscreants believed to reside there.
“This demolition is part of our ongoing city sanitation efforts to rid Abuja of criminal hideouts,” Galadima said.
“This particular area has long been identified as one of the city’s most notorious dark spots, and we are clearing it to ensure the safety of residents.
There are verified intelligence reports about criminal activities here — in fact, there have been cases of people being killed around this location. That alone is enough reason for us to remove all illegal structures and fences here.”
Galadima added that the exercise was part of broader efforts by the FCTA to prevent hoodlums from occupying green areas and vacant plots across the city.
Also speaking, the Director of Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, represented by Dr. Peter Olumuji, Secretary of the Command and Control Centre, confirmed that residents had raised repeated complaints about criminal activities in the area.
He revealed that the hideout served not only as a base for armed robbers but also for illegal drug peddlers.
“Just a few weeks ago, over 50 armed robbers attempted to attack residents in this area. They retreated into this spot, but thanks to the swift response of the FCT Police Command and other security agencies, the situation was contained,” he said.
The latest operation follows a series of similar exercises, including the demolition of illegal structures and shanties in Wuse Zone 3 on August 6, as well as at UTC and the ‘Cashew Garden’ area in Apo Cadastral Zone E27, Abuja, earlier in the week.
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