The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced a renewed drive to demolish shanties and illegal settlements serving as safe havens for criminals in Abuja.
According to the administration, these structures not only shelter crime but also obstruct ongoing developmental efforts in the nation’s capital.
The Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka stated, “The ongoing onslaught on criminal hideouts in Abuja will continue.”
Olayinka highlighted Durumi District, particularly Area 1 in Garki, as a hotspot that requires urgent attention.
In a statement released on Monday, the 18th of August, 2025, he explained that the minister had established a Stakeholders Committee to tackle the security concerns.
The committee includes security chiefs, FCTA officials, representatives of civil society groups, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). Its mandate is to strengthen safety across the city.
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Quoting him further, Olayinka said, “High level criminal activities such as robbery, carjacking, drug peddling and other heinous crimes with its attendant security implications to law abiding FCT residents cannot be allowed to continue.”
He added that the committee noted how the shanties have blocked landowners from accessing their allocations and disrupted government projects. Worse still, the clusters in Area 1 and Durumi have become operational bases for kidnappers, drug traffickers, and one-chance syndicates.
Just three months ago, security operatives carried out a major raid in these same areas. Over 120 suspects were arrested, including drug dealers, one-chance operators, armed robbers, and carjackers.
The operation also led to the recovery of seven stolen cars, 79 motorcycles, and 155 ATM cards, many of which were snatched from unsuspecting victims and traced back to the settlement.