Illegal structures on land belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) were on Monday demolished by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The officials also earmarked for other infrastructure development in the Lugbe area of Abuja.
The Director of the Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, while addressing newsmen after the demolition, said the the area, popularly known as Timber Shield Market, Lugbe, was not approved for the construction of the demolished structures.
He said the area was illegally occupied by timber dealers, scavengers, and other sellers of low-value items adding that the the area is located under a high-tension line.
Galadima disclosed that TCN had already awarded the contract for the energisation of the power line, adding that the illegal structures must be removed before the commencement of the work.
He further explained that the area was a corridor of the Ring Road III, which connects Gwarimpa and the Public Service Institute along Onex as well as linking Siraji to the Apo Mechanic area.
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According to him, the operation is an ongoing exercise to clean up Abuja City by removing all illegal structures, wherever they exist.
He noted that prior to the demolition exercise, several notices were served on the illegal occupiers followed by meetings with the traders and some key stakeholders.
“Prior to the operation, we had invited all the traders and stakeholders for a meeting, and we briefed them of our intention. They were given enough time to relocate so that the work will commence about two months ago. We are going to sustain it; nobody will be allowed to return to the area,” he said.
Meanwhile, a market woman, Rebecca Okorie, has been robbed of her money and items with her in the early hours of Tuesday in the Ilepo part of Lagos.
According to the woman, the bus driver and conductor, believed to be one-chance runners, threw her out of the bus after collecting over N13,000 that was with her.
Okorie, who explained in tears, said this was the second time she would encounter such fate.