The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), yesterday shut down Olajumoke Akinjide Plaza Dutse-Alhaji indefinitely over extreme illegalities in the market.
Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah who led the team, lamented the rate of extreme contraventions which include offensive refuse.
According to Attah: “The indefinite closure of Olajumoke Akinjide Plaza Dutse-Alhaji was because of contraventions which we have noticed since last week, very offensive refuse which is not properly collected, so much attachment at several corners, the drains not distilled and the drains were like dump site.
“And when next we come here and we are convinced they have done the needful, we will reopen it. But they assured us that they want to start the work now and it will be done quickly and we will come and check it for reopening but for now the market is closed indefinitely.”
Secretary FCTA Command and Control Centre, Peter Olumuji, decried the increase in crime rate in the market.
He said: “Aside from the environmental issues, the crime rate is gradually increasing; structures that criminal elements can hide are being put on ground. And some of them even sleep over in these makeshift attachments.
“Shop owners have been complaining about thefts, part of what we are doing is to remove all those hidden places and attachments, there are reports of vandalisation of cars and phone stolen among others”.
A shop owner (name withheld) accused the management and executive of the market, of selling the illegal spaces to petty traders and collecting money from them.