On Monday, a team from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Joint Task Force on City Sanitation apprehended 19 demonstrators who had gathered at the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) premises in Wuse, Abuja.
These protesters, accompanied by several others, had converged at the Council’s location to express their opposition to the demolition of a mechanic village in the Kubwa area of the FCT by the officials of AMMC’s Department of Development Control.
According to Mr. Mukhtar Galadima, the Director of the department, the demonstrators disrupted the normal activities of the building by storming the premises while the employees were engaged in their official duties.
Galadima clarified to journalists after the incident that the disturbance caused by the protesters resulted in the arrest of 19 individuals due to their involvement in the disturbance of peace within the area.
“We were having a meeting in a conference hall when we heard some noises. We decided to come and see what was happening and I saw some people with placards.
“Some of the people were talking about Kubwa mechanic village where they own shops in the village, but which were demolished by officials of the Department of Development Control.
“But what proof do they have that they have allocations inside the area,” he said.
Galadima said that the sponsors of the protest built what they called a mechanic village inside someone’s property, adding that the Development Control ordered the demolition of the village.
He added that beyond building illegally on the property, the action became necessary following a series of complaints of encroachment in the particular space by the rightful owners.
The director, who described the protest as “simply thuggery”, added that the department would recommend the prosecution of the culprits.
“This is a breach of peace, and they should be prosecuted.
“We are also going to find out who among our officers gave out the area for the development of a mechanic village. The officers involved must be dealt with accordingly,” he said.
