The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has dislodged the scavengers colony in Katampe Abuja.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the Minister of FCT, Comrade Ikharo Attah while leading the team on the demolition, urged the indigenes that are renting their cashew plantations to scavengers to desist from doing so.
He explained that the Scavengers were wrecking so much havoc under these plantations and the Administration is determined to tackle it head-on.
According to him, some of the Scavengers were seen with dangerous weapons and even
car number plate.
"Part of our work to rid the city of criminally minded refuse collectors, We came here in Katampe, where we met them heavily hiding in this cashew plantation and we have gone ahead to remove them. They are people who are largely tied to crime, we even saw someone's plate number, and we asked them what are you doing with someone's plate number and they couldn't explain so we had to collect it from them. Sometimes we see female handbags, shoes, clothes it may be because women are vulnerable and that is why".
Comrade Attah vowed that with the support from the FCT Minister and the security chiefs the issue of scavengers would soon be a thing of the past.
He advised all scavengers to move to the Gosa dump site to enable the authorized land owners to take over their Lands for development.
Assistant Director in the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) in charge of Monitoring and Enforcement Mr Kaka Bello, who spoke on behalf of Engr Osilama Briamah, who expressed dismay over non-compliance from the scavengers, said the Board would not relent at ensuring that the right thing is done.
" It is a land use contravention and that is why we are here. we are using this medium to appeal to these scavengers to please leave the city because no part of the city is designated for their activities ...if they must carry out this type of business they should at least use the designated Gosa dump site. "