FCT Insecurity: Government Is Not Sleeping, Says Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has assured residents of FCT that their safety is guaranteed and that the government was working to support security agents with all they needed to tackle insecurity in the Territory.

Wike spoke during an emergency security meeting on Tuesday following incessant kidnapping of FCT residents in recent times.

Among those in attendance were heads of security agencies in the FCT, top officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Area Council chairmen as well as traditional rulers.

The FCT Minister, who warned the Area Council chairmen to be alive to their responsibility at the local level, stressed the need for the security apparatus to re-stratigise and redouble their efforts to tame insecurity in the Territory.

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“All of us are aware of the security situation in the FCT, particularly Bwari and some other areas that have witnessed security challenges. Our concern is that for the FCT that has virtually every Nigerian, we owe a duty to make sure that this place is safe, to do all we can, and we assure Nigerians who reside here, that there is no need for panic.

“We are taking every step to make sure that those challenges are things that we must have to resolve. So, this meeting is practically to look into such challenges and see how we are able to resolve the problems. And that is why we invited all the council chairmen, because they also have a responsibility in their various area councils.

“So, we will put our heads together and come up with solutions. So, for the press, it is just for you to know that we are not sleeping, security agencies are also not sleeping. We will provide every support that they require in order to allay the fears of the citizens,” he said.

Wike also stated that he will not be happy to receive news of Area Council chairmen abdicating responsibilities and travelling out of their domains, especially while there were security challenges in their various areas.

“This time around, we will not be happy where Area Council chairmen will abdicate their responsibility and travel out. We have gotten reports that council chairmen travel anytime, and then if anything happens, of course, they will not call anybody’s name, they will call the FCT Minister.

“However, we cannot fold our hands, we have invited them to a meeting this afternoon to see how we can also resolve the problem,” the Minister added.

LEADERSHIP reports that the emergency security meeting was convened following the worsening security situation in the nation’s capital.

Gunmen have been invading communities, breaking into people’s houses and picking them up from the comfort of their homes.

One of the incidents which have created tension was the reports of the murder of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, who was kidnapped along with 22 others in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT, and 13-year-old Folasade Ariyo, who was kidnapped alongside 11 others, among whom were three of her siblings, and their mother at the Sagwari Estate Layout, in Dutse-Alhaji Area of Abuja.

Following the killing of Folashade Ariyo, and two others, the kidnappers had proceeded to demand N700m in ransom for the rest of the victims, after initially demanding N60m each.

LEADERSHIP also reports that fear-gripped residents of the FCT have expressed dissatisfaction with the manner security agencies were handling the rising wave of kidnapping in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

They said both the authorities of the FCT and the Police were not doing enough to protect them and secure the capital Territory.