FCTA to Demolish Abuja Illegal Settlements Over Rising Crime Rates

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to demolish illegal settlements in Abuja’s city centre, citing their use as hideouts for kidnappers, armed robbers, and drug peddlers.

According to Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the FCT Minister, the worst-hit areas include the Durumi and Area 1 corridors in the Garki District, where crimes such as carjacking, drug trafficking, and “one-chance” operations have continued to endanger residents.

Minister Nyesom Wike has set up a Stakeholders’ Committee, including security agencies, civil society groups, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to oversee the clampdown.

Authorities say previous raids led to over 120 arrests and the recovery of stolen vehicles, motorcycles, and ATM cards, but illegal occupants quickly rebuilt demolished shanties.

The FCTA confirmed that the demolition exercise has already begun in parts of the city and will soon extend fully to Durumi and Area 1 as part of efforts to restore order and open access to long-allocated plots of land.

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