Following the violent clash in the Dei Dei market in Abuja, the nation’s capital, leading to the loss of lives, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday commenced an intensive raid of all the forests around Jiwa, Dei-Dei and its environs and arrested over 15 fellows suspected to be part of those perpetrating violence in the area.
A week after the violent clash, residents of Dei-Dei and the surrounding communities still live in fear as they suspect the hoodlums and miscreants who hibernate in the nearby forests could launch further attacks.
The Forests in these communities are said to be notorious hideouts from where miscreants were reportedly recruited to unleash mayhem on their victims.
The Sarkin Jiwa, HRH Alhaji Idris Musa who endorsed the raid, also confirmed the allegations that the forests harbor criminal elements who disturb the peace of the communities.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah said the operation was necessitated by public outcry against the activities of scavengers, popularly known as Baban Bolas.
Attah noted that while residents confirmed the involvement of scavengers in the Dei-Dei crisis, it has also been established that a lot of violent crimes were traceable to them.
He bemoaned a situation where scavengers are often found to be moving around with dangerous weapons and attacking innocent residents.
According to him, the operation Liu will be extended to other places where these criminal elements hibernate to guarantee maximum safety and security for all residents.
Attah added that FCTA had no plans to stop legitimate business of waste collection and recycling, but have the responsibility to tackle the crimes and criminals operating under any guise.
” We got intensive complaints about insecurity around Jiwa axis and communities that have come under attacks by people believed to be baban bolas. This areas is also notorious as it was the place where two police officers were ambushed and their rifles taken away, before they were later recovered.
” This is why we have to come out today under the directives of the FCT Minister, to clean all the dangerous forests where these people are taking shelter and wreaking havoc on the residents. We have arrested over 15 persons.
” Waste collection and recycling are not crimes, but the crimes associated with Baban Bolas, is what we will not fold our hands and watch”, Attah noted.
Also, a man who works in Kagini Community, Chidiebere Nwajiuba, with a heavy heart confirmed the notoriety of the scavengers in the area, saying that he had fallen victim several times.
Mwajiuba also revealed that his car was allegedly vandalised while buildings under construction in his site within the same area were attacked and all iron rods stolen by the scavengers. He corroborated the claims that scavengers were involved in the crisis that rocked Dei-Dei and it’s environs last week.
(C)ControlTV2022.
