Nation
FCTA Raids Shanties, Criminals’ Hideouts
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has embarked on mass elimination of shanties, regular raiding and clearing of hideouts harbouring criminals and hoodlums in the territory.
Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Security Matters, Amb. Abu Mohammed, told newsmen in Abuja, that most of the shanties “are safe havens for miscreants, armed robbers, kidnappers and drug dealers.
“There are also security threats and environmental hazards as open defecation together with other breaches of sanitation laws coupled with the current security situation, the menace of shanties in the FCT are no longer going to be tolerated at all.
“Same applies to abandoned buildings and bushy undeveloped plots, particularly in built up areas. A ministerial taskforce charged with that responsibility conducts its activities almost on daily basis.
“This has brought sanity in many parts of the territory,” he said.
Mohammed stated that the administration was also curtailing the menace of “okada’’ riders in the city, adding “the ban on them in the municipality introduced in 2006 is still in force’’.
The minister’s aide said that the enforcement of the ban was still on and thousands of motor cycles seized were being crushed quarterly.
“You are aware that most of the riders are nuisance, causing accidents here and there, and it is the popular means of transportation for bandits and armed robbers.
“Miscreants also use it to snatch bags and other valuable from commuters.”
Similarly, Mohammed said the administration had ensured the removal of scavengers otherwise known as ‘Baban Bola’ from the streets of the FCT.
“Due to public outcry on the increasing activities of scavengers and the menace of vandalism and theft of private and public property, including critical national infrastructure, Baba Bola has been outlawed in the FCT.
“It was as a result of these efforts that the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello directed all relevant Secretariat Departments and Agencies (SDAs) to work jointly and close down identified scrap markets (Panteka) where the transmission lines and other stolen infrastructure are sold.
The Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi, has granted bail to 91 inmates.
He also completely discharged four others during the first-quarter jail delivery exercise for 2025 at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Katsina.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Justice Danladi explained that the Sub-Committee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres carefully assessed the cases before recommending the inmates for release.
Factors considered included age, length of time spent in custody, and medical conditions.
He further announced that going forward, the personal details and photographs of released inmates would be officially recorded to ensure proper documentation and accountability.
Addressing the freed individuals, he urged them to stay on the right side of the law, emphasising that another chance at clemency might not be available if they reoffend.
The Katsina State Controller of Corrections, CC Umar Baba, praised the initiative, stating that such interventions ease congestion, improve prison conditions, and support rehabilitation efforts.
He also called on judges and magistrates to consider alternative sentencing options to prevent unnecessary detentions and allow correctional facilities to focus on reforming and reintegrating offenders into society.
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has struck out murder charges against Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Queen Naomi Silekunola; the owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat; and principal of Islamic High School, Abdullahi Fasasi.
The Tide’s source recalls that the trio have been facing murder charges following the December 2024 children’s event stampede that led to the death of 35 children.
Justice B. K. Olawoyin delivering judgment yesterday, ruled that holding the defendants liable could discourage the public from engaging in humanitarian activities.
The court dismissed the four count charge, which included acceleration of death, conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm and failure to provide adequate medical facilities and security.
The Nigerian Military high command has stated that it is unaware of any community in the Northwest negotiating or entering peace agreements with bandits and terrorists for protection.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, dismissed reports suggesting such peace deals.
He questioned why any community would resort to negotiations, given the sustained military offensives against terrorist groups.
“The military is carrying out its operations in line with established protocols for internal security. If any community claims to be seeking peace with bandits, the military does not support that,” Kangye asserted.
He further emphasised that joint military operations, in collaboration with hybrid forces and other security agencies, have remained relentless in tackling terrorism and organised crime.
Throughout the past week, troops conducted a series of combat patrols, raids, ambushes, clearance operations, and search-and-rescue missions, resulting in significant successes.
According to Kangye, several terrorists were neutralised, their collaborators were captured, and kidnapped victims were successfully rescued.
