Minister for Federal Capita Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has expresses commitment to stamp out all form of criminality from the Abuja FCT and environs, saying FG can no longer condone such barbarism. The Minister made this declaration today during a town hall meeting at the Bwari Area Council of the FCT with stakeholders of the community. Wike convene the meeting following the increase incidents of kidnapping around the FCT and environs in recent time.
Before proceeding to Bwari earlier today, the Minister has a meeting with the heads of security agencies in the FCT, heads of departments of the FCTA as well as chairmen of the six Area Councils of the FCT.
During the meeting, the Minister revealed that the president has instructed him to do whatever it takes to ensure the security agencies are up and doing in the FCT, promising that his administration will not leave any stone unturned warning that it will no longer business as usual for the criminals.
Recall some group of terrorist kidnappers had abducted and killed some residents, including a 13-year-old teenager, Folashade Ariyo, who was kidnapped alongside 10 residents of the Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutse-Alhaji Area of Abuja, and Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who was kidnapped alongside 22 other in Bwari.
Wike said, “Security is one of the key priorities of Mr. President’s administration. Yesterday, Mr President summoned a high-level security meeting, which includes all the Service Chiefs, the Minister of Defence, and my humble self, because of recent attacks, particularly in Bwari. And so, currently, it is one of the key priorities that Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda will want to face squarely.
According to him, “It is no longer going to be business as usual. Everything has to be done to protect lives and property. Without protection of lives and property, then we have no business in government. My coming here today is to assure you that we are very serious. All those criminals, bandits, enough is enough. We will do everything in our power to make sure that we will not allow this to happen again. That is why just this morning, Mr. President has given me approval, to provide everything required to the security agencies. And just like what Etsu-Bwari and Sarkin-Bwari said, it is not by merely talking, we are serious.
He disclosed that under his administration, security agencies cannot complaint of any logistics and equipment as his office will squarely takes care of that, acknowledging how big Bwari is as it shares border with three states of Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa. However said the ruminants of terrorists that were chased out from the northeast have found their way into the north central to continue their evil.
In his contribution, Chairman of Bwari Area Council, John Gabaya, revealed that the Council is comprised 16 districts, and over 90 villages and hamlets, therefore, the size and the terrain of the Council is making it difficult for the security agencies to surmount it.
He therefore appealed on behalf of the security agencies to be properly equipped with logistics to be on top of their game of securing the people of the council, adding that they would require at least a vehicle and 7 motorcycles in each district for effective patrol and surveillance, while also appealing for training and retraining of hunters and villagers, engaged by the Council for their security.