By Idu Jude
In what seems like a declaration of war against the operators of Bureau de change in the Nigerians capital city Abuja, the Abuja environmental protection board Monday again has bulldozed artificial shanties set up by the operators of BDC at zone four Abuja.
ThisNigeria, recall, that the CBN has until last week announced the withdrawal of sale of dollars to the operators as a measure to curb sponsorship of terrorism in Nigeria.
The Monday morning demolition of the illegal structures at zone 4 was also seen by onlookers as solidarity support to CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele who has been grossly misunderstood by many.
In a brief chat with the Chairman of the FCT joint environmental task force, Mr. Ikahro Attah, the Monday morning operation is specifically targeted at the BDC operators, who have grossly violated the environmental law of the FCT.
According to Attah, the administration “has zero-tolerance to an environmental violation, and our duty here is to correct laws that have been violated.
This team has been mandated to ensure that law and order are maintained. Zone 4 is not the first place where this exercise has been carried neither will be the last, so we are duty-bound to
ensure that Abuja more especially the city centers is not defaced. Our business today is targeted at the operation of the CBD”
CBN, BDCs and forex question
In a chat with Ibrahim Inuwa, an operator who was utterly devastated said that he was confused about the whole attack. “
As I am talking to you, I am confused and I don’t know what to say but the little I can say is that I saw people running halters skater and when I asked they told me that the Minister of FCT came and commanded the demolition of the places.
So as you can see, many things have been burnt down by the task force. He came with soldiers, police, and civil defense. You see there was no previous notice of the operation and people have lost
their belongings here”
Also speaking, Yakub Idris, said that the business of the BDC has been targeted.” You see these people in government are never fair to the common man. They asked us to vote for them but after they go in there they
now come with soldiers to demolish our business.
During campaigns, they always come here to talk to us so that they get the votes they even use some of us for thuggery. What baffles me was the way they come with
soldiers as if to say there has been a war at this place before. You see that is what we get from the irresponsible government. Here we manage our lives even when they cannot provide jobs, yet they came here to send
us out”
The FCT Administration has always reiterated that there is no going back in demolishing illegal structures across the city.
