By Festus Fifen.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Friday gave the Scrab dealers popularly called Pantakers operating in the Mabushi Cashew Forest two weeks ultimatum to vacate the notorious criminal hideouts or face demolition.

The FCTA Position on cleaning the place especially as it has become a notorious criminal hideout was made know by the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah on Friday in Abuja at a stakeholders meeting with the Gwan-Gwan Traders Association Mabuchi.

Comrade Attah noted that the demolition exercise became imperative due to the unwillingness of the traders to vacate the place under the guise of asking for more time and an alternative place of business.

In his words, “After two weeks grace, whatever is left in the area will be demolished without empathy and sympathy. We will stay action since you have appealed and we will convey your message to the Minister but ensure that you pack all your belongings before the expiration of the two weeks grace period. Please don’t leave valuables behind because the bulldozer will not know how valuable they are to you. You have two weeks to remove them last week, you begged us on site . We will tell the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the Commissioner of Police , Sunday Babaji that you have two weeks to remove your valuables.

“The Minister of FCT, has directed them to comb and clean all criminal hideouts in the nation’s capital leaving no stone unturned.

With the way you are going, i am not convinced that you people are ready to leave after two years , you are still asking for more time.

“We will come on Monday to start demolishing, It’s like you are asking for another two years. The meeting was called to rob minds and chart a way forward”.

Similarly, the Assistant Director of Enforcement in Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Kaka Bello said , we will give them two weeks grace but we will be moving in to check compliance.

According to him:” The movement will be in phases, before the end of the two weeks , every structure must go; all their iterms must be evacuated including the heavy duty machines” .

Earlier, the Chairman, Gwan-Gwan Traders Association Mabuchi, Salisu Rabiu appealed for more time to pack their valuables and that the administration should provide them with an alternative place where they can do their legitimate business.