Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed that no amount of protest can stop the bid to sanitise the nation’s capital.
Last week, task force acting on the orders of the minister demolished the Ruga settlement along Airport Road, Lugbe, triggering outrage.
Protesters, led by an activist, Deji Adeyanju, had hit the streets while accusing FCT task force, known as “Operation Sweep,” of heavy-handed tactics.
Adeyanju condemned the demolition, highlighting that homes were burned and property worth millions was destroyed.
“There is no justification for this demolition. We appeal to President Bola Tinubu to consider the plight of the displaced residents, who are barely surviving,” Adeyanju had said.
But speaking when he visited the demolished settlement, late Sunday, the Minister, who was accompanied by top security chiefs in the territory, said he was at the site to see things for himself.
Addressing the victims, the minister said there was no going back in the exercise, adding that the settlement had been identified as a security threat.
He said no government would allow such illegal settlement to continue to exist with report of security threat, especially to the rail corridor.
The Minister told the victims that no amount of blackmail or protest would stop the clearing exercise.
He, however, asked the spokesperson of the victims to bring five of their representatives to the FCTA Secretariat for dialogue on what would be done for them.
Earlier, the spokesperson of the victims, Abba Garu, had told the minister that they had been living in the area for the past 35 years.
He said about 10,000 people were affected by the exercise with all their property and business destroyed.
He pleaded with the minister to provide alternative for them, adding that they were ready to move to another place.
