Business woman alleges harassment as FCTA demolishes auto workshop

An automobile workshop owner, Joyce Daser Adams, alleged harassment by security personnel during the demolition of her workshop by a team from the department of Development Control of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, in Wuye, Abuja, last Thursday. Adams said a-30-minute notice was served her before the demolition of the N100m automobile workshop facility by […]

An automobile workshop owner, Joyce Daser Adams, alleged harassment by security personnel during the demolition of her workshop by a team from the department of Development Control of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, in Wuye, Abuja, last Thursday.

Adams said a-30-minute notice was served her before the demolition of the N100m automobile workshop facility by the joint operation of Policemen, personnel of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), State Security Service (SSS) and some other security agencies.

She alleged that the security personnel on the team hit her with a gun butt while she tried to get the Wuye Police Division to halt the execise, adding that they went ahead to beat her up with some of her workshop staff who intervened.

“The team served me 30-minute verbal notice to vacate the place and started forcing themselves into the workshop. I tried calling the police for intervention before one policeman hit me from behind with a gun that I am not allowed to make call.

“When they entered, they started demolishing and taking away the vehicles in the workshop. They went away with six vehicles belonging to my customers. They did not demolish the whole facility but it affected my N25m painting facility which I installed not more than six months ago” she added.

She, however, said she was served a 48-hour notice twice in October last year and was yet to find a suitable place to relocate when the exercise was carried out.

She said she would file the case in court challenging her harassment by the security personnel.

“When an employer of labour is trying to create opportunities, they should be encouraged not discouraged. I am a beneficiary of U-win and I should be encouraged. Abuja is not a place where you can relocate facility like this easily” she said.

City News reporter who visited the scene sighted two armed police men at the workshop. The fence of the building and the adjoining car-baking facility were affected by the demolition.

Responding, the Director Development Control, Alhaji Mukhtar Galadima, said she is operating illegally and that she had been served notice appropriately.

He added that the Department has made announcements repeatedly for property owners to revert to the original uses for which their buildings were given approval and it was expected that  she would comply with the directive.

Galadima also said he personally met with her at the Wuye Police Division and he was willing to encourage her to continue with her business but was surprised at the “blackmail on social and in the traditional media.”

He said he was not a police officer so could not comment on the allegation that she was beaten up by security personnel.