The Federal Capital Territory Ministerial Task Team on Enforcement of COVID-19 Protocols on Friday stormed Karu, an Abuja suburb, and demolished some illegal structures, including drinking joints.
Other structures demolished by the officials included containers being used by petty traders as shops and all the kiosks in a small market located in Karu site.
Our correspondent reported that all the extensions made in front of shops that served as drinking joints were also demolished.
Mostly hit are drinking joints located in Karu Site.
The armed men demolished the fence of Paris Lounge and also demolished a container at Cool Leo. Both are popular drinking joints in the area.
All the extensions in front of about four drinking joints on a street near the “Old NEPA Office” in Karu site were all demolished.
As of the time of filing this report, the armed officials were still moving round the area with their bulldozer.
Some traders were seen struggling to salvage the little they could from their belongings trapped under the debris of the demolished buildings.
Some others who saw the officials approaching were also seen struggling to remove valuables from containers before they will demolish them.
The traders were still counting their losses as of the time of filing this report.
“Where do I start from? All my wares were trapped in the demolished container. This is inhuman,” one of them told our correspondent.
“This is beyond enforcing COVID-19 protocols. I am aware that some residents of this area have been complaining about the residential buildings being turned into drinking joints in this area.
“I have a strong belief that the demolition is not about Coronavirus alone,” another resident said.
The Head, Media and Enlightenment of the task force, Mr Ikharo Attah, told our correspondent at the scene of the demolition that “the exercise was meant to sanitise Karu.”
