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By Emmanuel Adeleke
Hoodlums have attacked officials of environmental task force of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) at Kuchingoro community, Abuja.
The officials were in the community as part of its ongoing demolition and clampdown on commercial motorcycle riders violating traffic rules along the Lugbe-Airport road.
Five personnel of the task force sustained injuries while about 10 suspected hoodlums were arrested and handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, who was among the officials who escaped unhurt, said the hoodlums were angered by the demolition of the shanties and illegal structures housing them under electrical high tension installations.
Attah reaffirmed that the taskforce will not be deterred by the serial attacks by residents opposed to the enforcement of orders and regulations needed to make Abuja a model City.
According to him, while lawless people remain defiant to orders and policies of the government, the enforcement team will also remain committed to its mandate.
He said: “We came here to remove illegal structures that have painted Airport road in bad light, we were clearing the roadsides of traders, Okada riders, all of a sudden, some hoodlums appeared and started throwing stones.
“We were able to push them back because we have to clean up the roads. Unfortunately, about 5 of our personnel sustain various degrees of injury from the stones that hurt them.
“We also learnt that the leader of the mob was also hit by the stone of his group, we have taken him to the hospital. We arrested about 10 persons suspected to have participated in the attack.”