Ikharo Attah, the FCT minister’s senior special assistant on monitoring, inspection, and enforcement, said the exercise was part of a series of measures by the administration to combat illegalities to keep Abuja clean and safe.

Attah, who bemoaned continuous environmental nuisance in some sections of the city, added that the joint team engaging in the city cleanliness exercise will maintain the tempo with the cooperation of FCT ministers.

He noted that illegal mechanic workshops and motor park operators had been warned severally to vacate the locations, but refused to comply.

He disclosed that the suspects arrested during the operation would be charged to court by a relevant agency of government, while the fate of all impounded vehicles solely depends on the verdict of a competent court of jurisdiction.

“Our sustainability plan is to keep doing the job. That is the only we can defeat illegalities. Look at the number of condemned tires that are being evacuated from a highbrow district of Asokoro. Attempting to stop doing what we are doing will mean losing the city, but we won’t allow that.

“This exercise is a combined war against illegalities. We have launched a war against illegal construction and shanties and now unapproved mechanic workshops. We are determined to address all the illegalities holistically,” he said.

Kaka Bello, the AEPB’s deputy director of enforcement, said the cleaning operation’s intensity had been enhanced to match the strength of individuals intent on damaging the city’s environment through unlawful activities.

Despite the attacks by individuals who promote illegalities, Bello added that the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) had worked hard to keep the city sanitation upbeat.