The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) dismantled a mini market on Wednesday, said to be notorious for vehicle papers and other document forgery.
The mini market, located directly opposite the headquarters of the FCTA Directorate of Road Traffic Services in Mabushi, is said to have been infiltrated by fraudulent merchants whose stock in trade is to collaborate with some government staff to produce fake vehicle papers and number plates.
Speaking on the exercise, the Director of DRTS, Dr Abdulatef Bello, said that several intelligence reports have exposed the illegal activities being perpetrated in the place.
Bello, who displayed some vehicle papers and number plates, said to have been impounded by some of the arrested suspects, noted that some criminal elements had infiltrated the place and were indulging in forgery.
He lamented that apart from losses of revenue due to the illegal activities of the place, the safety of motorists and other residents has been threatened.
He warned motorists and people who patronise quacks for vehicle registration to desist from it and resort to the seamless registration platform, backed by the technology that the government has provided.
Bello said, “We have observed over a long period of time that this particular building harbours illegitimate activities such as pirates who pirate some of our documents and then perpetuate criminal activities.
“We have been making efforts over a period of time to see how we can bust their activities, but today faith caught up with them and the building or structure here was brought down, and they were able to uncover so many of our documents that have been pirated by the criminals.
“And then the most important thing is that it is not just about revenue loss, but you know, it is also about something that has to do with security as well, because as we are trying to go into e-enforcement, some of these vehicles that are registered with fake documents would be very difficult for us to track them because the camera will pick them, but because they are not registered, it will be difficult for us to track, and these are the kind of vehicles they use for criminal activities in territory.”
Barrister Alexandre Owobi, who claimed to be the manager of the open space property where the business centres operated, said that the most worrisome part of the demolition was that the development control department did not give the occupants adequate notice.
Owobi stated that he was not aware that criminal elements had invaded the place, noting that no security agency has ever given him such reports.
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