Following the increasing insecurity in Nigeria’s federal capital territory (FCT) Abuja, Global Peace Foundation, the Nigerian Police Force and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, have collaborated for a safe capital city.
Speaking at a one-day high-level dialogue summit organised by the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria in partnership with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja, the country representative, Rev John Joseph Hayab, said FCT is currently confronted with a challenge of insecurity, threatening the peaceful and harmonious coexistence of its residents and at the same time sending wrong signals to visitors, especially the members of the international community who love to come to visit or even invest in Nigeria.
“In the recognition that injury to one is an injury to all, whereas an injury to the head affects the whole body if Abuja becomes unsafe, insecure and not peaceful, the whole nation could be overwhelmed by insecurity,” he said.
Accordingly, achieving sustainable peace and security in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria required concerted and collaborative efforts.
“At the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, we firmly believe that sustainable peace cannot be easily achieved through a top-down approach but through the active participation of all sections of society,” Hayab said.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Bello Goronyo, said they never envisaged the kind of insecurity that was ravaging Abuja.
“We never thought Abuja will be as bad as this,” Goronyo said, promising that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration will tackle the scourge of insecurity.
Also speaking, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7 Command, which covers FCT and Niger State, AIG Ogundele Joshua Ayodeji, said FCT, being the nation’s capital city, is the strength of Nigeria, adding that the IGP was sending a goodwill message and was assuring that the Force was working hard to ensure that the capital city is safe.
“We are not relenting in our efforts at making sure that everyone go about his or her businesses and we will ensure we collaborate with other security agencies, community leaders and good Nigerians for a safe Abuja.
“It is a continuous exercise. Crime does not just come one day. I am assuring that things will be brought almost to zero level,” Joshua said.
In his welcome address, the Director General (DG) of IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said since FCT, the seat of power of Nigeria, is currently grappling with a concerning escalation in insecurity, the collaboration was to bring peace.
“In recent times, we have witnessed an alarming escalation in security incidents in Abuja. This surge in insecurity is not just a statistic; it is a reality that has touched the lives of our fellow citizens, disrupted peace, and challenged our sense of safety. It is a reality that has transformed our city, once renowned as a beacon of(stability and security, into a place where uncertainty and fear have taken hold. This deterioration of security stands in stark contrast to Abuja’s historical reputation as relatively immune to the pervasive security threats affecting other regions of Nigeria.
“The rise in criminal activities such as kidnappings, robberies, and violence infringe upon the fundamental human rights of the residents, particularly the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
“Persistent insecurity can deter socio-economic development, discourage investment, and exacerbate poverty and inequality,” the DG said while calling on all actors to eschew bitterness.
