Abuja will be hot for bandits!

*FG vows to make FCT extremely hot for bandits, kidnappers, others

*It’ll no longer be business as usual, says FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike

By Chioma Nnodim

Worried by the recent resurgence of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the nation’s capital city, the federal government has made it clear that it would henceforth make the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja extremely hot for bandits and other criminal elements.

This was conveyed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike during a town hall meeting he had with residents of the Bwari Area Council of the FCT yesterday.

He said that President Bola Tinubu had instructed him to provide all that the security agencies would need to fight insurgency in Abuja and its environs, adding that it would no longer be business as usual, warning that banditry and other criminal activities would no longer be condoned in the nation’s seat of power.

It would be recalled that the Minister convened the meeting following increasing reports of kidnapping for ransom and killing in the FCT.

Earlier on Tuesday, Wike met with heads of security agencies in the FCT, top officials of the FCT Administration, and Chairmen of the six Area Councils, where he stated that the administration was aware of the security situation in the territory.

It would also be recalled that gunmen 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.

“Security is one of the key priorities of Mr. President’s administration. Yesterday, Mr President summoned a high-level security meeting, which included 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.

“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.

“Security agencies will not have any reason to say that they are not equipped; we will provide everything required. I know how big Bwari is, I know that you have boundaries with three states: Niger State, Kaduna State and Nasarawa State. I know because these bandits were chased away from the Northeast, so they are making their way here, we will make it hot for them,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Bwari Area Council, John Gabaya, disclosed that the Council comprised 16 districts, and over 90 villages and hamlets, adding that the size and difficult terrain of the Council made the security challenges more difficult.

He therefore requested the provision of needed logistics to security agencies in the area, adding that they would require at least a vehicle and seven 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.