Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has promised to provide maximum security for the contractors handling various projects in the federal capital.
Director, Development Control, FCTA, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, gave the assurance when he led a security task force to Shehu Shagari road in Gwarinpa District, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the assurance was sequel to the attack on some workers of CBC Global handling the ongoing construction of N16 Road project in the area on Friday by hoodlums.
Galadima assured the contractors that FCTA would deal with anyone obstructing construction of any public interest project across the territory.
He said that the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, had directed that all necessary security provisions be made to protect the contractors.
He also said that the cashew trees by the roadside were being removed, as they were housing all manner of shanties and suspected criminal elements, thus constituting security threats to the area.
“Our job on the project site is to make sure that some illegal structures are not preventing the work and we have done the needful by removing illegal structures and shanties.
“If there is any reaction or protest by any other person, there are security agencies that are responsible for taking care of that.
“On the cashew plantation, several times, we found out that these cashew trees provide safe haven for men of the underworld and that is why we are cutting them down,” he said.
On his part, the Secretary, FCT Command and Control Centre, FCTA, Dr Peter Olumuji, said that the hoodlums who attacked CBC Global officials injured some of them and destroyed some of the company’s equipment.
“It is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order.
“So when they reported the incident to the administration, we had to mobilise today to give them adequate cover so that they can continue their work,” he said.
Olumuji said that the Commissioner of Police in the FCT would deploy attached a team of policemen to the companies to provide adequate security.
Project Manager of CBC Global, Mr Titus Sende, thanked FCTA for the prompt response and called for reinforcement of security personnel to the area.