FCTA Demolishes Criminal Hideout in Apo, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished a notorious criminal hideout in the Apo Resettlement area of Abuja as part of its ongoing city sanitation operations.

The location, long identified as one of Abuja’s “dark spots,” had reportedly served as a base for criminal gangs to plan and launch attacks in the city.

Mukhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control, told journalists during Thursday’s operation that the site had been linked to multiple violent incidents.

“This place has been identified as one of the notorious dark spots in the city,” he said. “We are here to clear the area to make it safe for residents. There have been credible security and intelligence reports, including cases where people were killed around this spot.”

Galadima explained that the demolition was part of a wider strategy to remove criminal elements from green spaces and vacant plots.

Security Concerns in Apo

• The hideout had been repeatedly flagged in intelligence briefings.

• Criminal activities, including assaults and armed robberies, were traced to the area.

• Some suspects allegedly used the location to evade law enforcement after attacks.

Adamu Gwary, Director of the FCTA Security Services Department, revealed that residents had raised concerns for weeks.

“Some weeks ago, over 50 armed robbers came here to attack residents,” Gwary said. “A swift response from the FCT Police Command and sister agencies stopped the attack from escalating.”

The demolition is part of a larger citywide security and sanitation push:

• On August 6, illegal structures and shanties were cleared in Wuse Zone 3.

• On Tuesday, shanties and illegal buildings at “Cashew Garden” in Apo Cadastral Zone E27 were demolished.

• Similar operations were carried out at UTC earlier this week.

Officials have reiterated their commitment to reclaiming public spaces from criminal use, promising more operations across the city in the coming weeks.