By Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, Oct. 2026
ABUJA, Nigeria — A NO-NONSENSE city minister has ordered security forces to smash down illegal booze joints operating in an upscale diplomatic quarter following alarming undercover intelligence.
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), gave the green light today for heavy machinery and armed personnel to dismantle unauthorised beer parlours in Asokoro.
The drastic crackdown was ordered after top-secret security reports warned that the makeshift drinking hubs had become magnet zones for illicit activities, posing an immediate threat to the elite neighborhood.
Working alongside the FCT’s Department of Development Control, security agencies have been told to clear out the pop-up pubs without delay.
Wike made it crystal clear that illegal operations in the capital will no longer be tolerated, stressing that public safety supersedes unapproved local hangouts.
Residents in the leafy district—home to top politicians, foreign embassies, and international dignitaries—had raised growing concerns over loud late-night gatherings and rogue operations spilling onto residential streets.
Demolition teams are expected to move into the area within hours to flatten the sites.
Asokoro is one of Abuja’s most secure and affluent districts, housing the Presidential Villa (Aso Rock), government ministries, foreign embassies, and high-net-worth individuals.
The FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, known for his direct governance style, has spearheaded several urban renewal initiatives focused on removing unapproved structures, restoring the Abuja Master Plan, and tackling criminal hideouts across the territory.
The FCT authorities have tightened intelligence monitoring in response to illegal settlements, unauthorized businesses, and unmapped social venues that pose potential security vulnerabilities in key administrative hubs.