Residents raise security concerns over proposed ‘temporary market’ near Karsana estates

Residents of four residential estates in Karsana District, Abuja, have expressed concern and anxiety over an approval reportedly granted by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for the establishment of a “temporary” or informal market beside their estates.

The affected estates—Mabglobal Estate, Ipent 7, Efab Metropolitan and Efab Queens, all located along the road linking Dawaki through Karsana to the Renewed Hope Housing Estate—said the proposed market poses serious security risks to residents.

According to the residents, the area has for years struggled with illegal markets, shanties and drug hotspots, which they said contributed to incidents of knife attacks, kidnappings and other criminal activities. They noted that in 2024 and 2025, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), under its former Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, demolished illegal markets in the area on security grounds.

The residents said they were therefore shocked last week when individuals reportedly acting on behalf of the market promoters moved into the area and began marking out spaces for stalls along the perimeter fences of the estates. The situation reportedly almost led to a confrontation between estate security personnel and officials said to be from the FCTA when authorization documents were demanded.

A letter dated August 20, 2025, with reference number AMMC/ADM/UA/1455, was later presented to the estates. Titled “Application for permission to operate and manage a temporary informal market at Mabglobal by Queen Estate, Karsana, Abuja,” the letter was addressed to Fasaha and Sons Global Services Nigeria Limited and purportedly approved by the Acting Director of the Department of Urban Affairs, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Abubakar A. Makama.

The letter stated that the application had been processed and that the promoters could continue operations pending the issuance of a formal permit, citing that necessary payments had been made and that the developers were already on ground.

Although the approval was reportedly issued several months ago, residents said construction activities only commenced early last week, triggering resistance from the estates over fears of renewed insecurity.

The residents commended the immediate past Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, for previously dismantling illegal structures in the area, which they said restored peace and tranquillity along the corridor before his retirement late last year. They noted that under his leadership, there was zero tolerance for illegal markets within the estates.

Mabglobal Estate, which houses over 600 households, said it had formally written to the Department of Urban Affairs to express concern over the development. According to the estate’s President, Pharmacist Frederick Okonkwo, and Secretary-General, Chibuzor Ogbonnaya, a similar proposal to relocate traders to the estate’s perimeter was discussed at an FCDA meeting in 2023 but was rejected by all parties due to security risks.

The residents questioned why the plan was being revived despite earlier decisions to maintain the status quo because of insecurity in the area.

They warned that relocating a shanty market from Gwarimpa to the immediate surroundings of residential estates could worsen security challenges and appealed to the leadership of the FCDA to urgently intervene and halt the ongoing development of the makeshift market.