The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has vowed to evict residents living in Abuja shanties, describing them as illegal structures that serve as hideouts for criminals.
Wike issued the warning on Monday, September 1, during a live media chat. He said people behind insecurity, kidnappings, and ‘one-chance’ mostly lived in shanties.
“When you say shanties, are shanties legal? You see, we cannot joke with the security. You have complained about insecurity, kidnapping, and ‘one-chance’. These are people who occupy all these shanties.
“In fact, sometimes, they take over the corridors where the road is supposed to pass. And when you want to do the road, they say, ‘compensate’. Compensate who? It is not correct. Mind you, criminals don’t stay where you will locate them. Criminals stay in these locations where you cannot locate them,” he stated.
The minister argued that any government unable to guarantee the safety of its citizens had no justification to remain in power, noting that poverty was not an excuse to allow criminals continue to increase and terrorize citizens.
He said it was not possible for the Federal Government to build houses for every Nigerian.
“You see, we have to be careful about this poverty thing and no poverty thing. We cannot say because of poverty, we should allow you to kill people, to rob people, to kidnap people.