- Gives Area Councils’ Chairmen marching orders
BY EVELYN DADU – In a move aimed at checking the spiraling rate of kidnappings and killings in the nation’s capital, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is currently presiding over a security meeting with security heads
Insiders hinted that among those present at the meeting are Heads of security agencies in the FCT, and senior officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Others include Chairmen of the six Area Councils, traditional chiefs as well as religious and community leaders.
The FCT Minister, who spoke to the media before the closed-door meeting, said together with the Area Councils’ Chairmen, the government is poised to proffer effective solutions to the security challenges in the nation’s capital and the country at large.
Maintaining that they owed it a duty to ensure Abuja is safe and secure for all residents, Wike said; “All of us are aware of the security situation in the Federal Capital Territory, particularly Bwari and some other areas that have witnessed security challenges.
“Our concern is that for the Federal Capital Territory 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”, the minister said.
“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 can 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 to allay the fears of the citizens”.
Warning the Area Council Chairmen against abdicating responsibilities and traveling out of their domains in the heat security challenges, the Minister further said; “This time around, we will not be happy when 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.,”
A competent source close to the meeting said the FCT Minister while assuring Abuja residents of the government’s commitment to check the criminal elements, said measures are being put in place to effectively address all existing and emerging security challenges in the territory and normalcy would return soonest with the criminal elements meeting their Waterloo.
As of today, the disturbing trend in Abuja is that the kidnappers, who, on January 7, 2024, abducted 10 people from an estate in Sagwari Layout, located in Dutse Alhaji, in Bwari Area Council, have reportedly killed three of their victims in what they termed as sending a strong warning to their relatives negotiating ransom payment.
It was also gathered that the bandits had increased their ransom demand from the initial N60 million per person to N100 million, amounting to a total of N700 million.
According to reports, the victims were allegedly killed over the ‘delay’ in raising the ransom demanded by the kidnappers. Among those killed is a 13-year-old high school student, identified as Folorunsho Ariyo, even as reports emerged on Sunday that the kidnappers, who have been operating in some communities located in Bwari Area Council, had killed one of the six abducted persons to force the family into quickly raising the demanded ransom.
Forefront News reliably gathered that in their helplessness and frustration, residents of Sagwari Layout have perfected plans to stage a massive protest against the perceived inaction of the government and security agencies in rescuing their abducted family members.
The protest, originally planned for Monday, January 15, 2024, was however shelved by the organisers due to the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.
