By Cross Udo and Ben Adoga, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday gave a marching order to policemen to flush out kidnappers and other criminally minded individuals’ teterrorizinghe citizens across the country.
The IGP spoke after a meeting with the Force Management Team and Tactical Squads in Abuja following the worrying state of security in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement issued yesterday by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP said, “The IGP expressed deep concern over the unfortunate events and emphasized the need for decisive action to curb such heinous crimes.”
He said in the meeting which focused on a “comprehensive review of current security challenges, strategic planning, and the deployment of tactical resources to tackle emerging threats, the IGP emphasised the need for a coordinated and intelligence-driven approach to address the evolving security landscape.
Tactical squads were briefed and directed to intensify efforts on the deployment of proactive measures to prevent criminal activities and protect citizens.”
There had been a series of kidnappings in the Federal Capital Territory in the last few weeks, however, despite the worsening security situation, the IGP assured Abuja residents of improved conditions.
The police chief was quoted as thus ordering the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Department of Operations to “personally coordinate the upscale security strategies emplaced to decimate kidnappers and other criminally minded individuals in the FCT, and immediately restore normalcy”.
*Tinubu, Wike hold emergence meetings
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu met with service chiefs and other top brass of security agencies at the State House in Abuja yesterday.
The service chiefs arrived earlier and waited till the President arrived from a function outside the State House.
The service chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
The meeting which also has in attendance the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, is expected to address the rising terrorism, kidnapping, and killings across the country.
The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, also met with security agencies to combat the rising insecurity in the nation’s capital.
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Earlier in another meeting, President Tinubu condemned the recent spate of kidnappings and bandit attacks, describing the development as disturbing, ungodly, and sinister.
Speaking when he received a delegation of Jam’iyyatu Ansaridden, a highly respected Islamic Movement, at the State House, in Abuja on Tuesday, President Tinubu said while security agencies are acting with dispatch to immediately address the current challenge, all required resources, policies, and plans will be rolled out soon for the massive education of Nigerian youths.
The President said education is the antidote to the troubles agitating the nation, adding, “There is no weapon against poverty that is as potent as learning.
“I can assure you that we are here to change the lives of our people. We are here to promote peace, stability, and economic prosperity.
“We are dedicated to building a lasting peace with a focus on the comprehensive education of our children. We will get our teachers and their owners involved in an education process that will be relevant to the future of this country.
“It is important. Knowledge brought me here with your prayers and your support. Without knowledge, there is nothing to generate hope for mankind,” President Tinubu said.
The President also emphasized that it was important to promote updated knowledge through existing Islamic learning institutions for youths in Northern Nigeria to speed up development in the region, in Nigeria, and throughout Africa.
“Please embark on special prayers. Embark on proper education for our youths. Kidnapping and banditry are not the way of God. Shedding each other’s blood is bad. And there can be no development without peace. It is only in the area of peace that we can eliminate poverty. We must work for peace for our economy to grow better,” the President added.
In his remarks, the Jam’iyyatu Ansaridden leader, Sheikh Muhammad Lamine Niass encouraged the President to continue implementing his reform initiatives while affirming that his movement, which is reputed for its promotion of peace and tolerance, would continue to pray for Nigeria’s peaceful development.
*FCT minister says Area Council chairmen must sit up, urges residents not to panic
Following the spate of kidnapping in Bwari Area Council and other fringes of the FCT, Wike has called for calm as he vowed to tackle kidnapping and other security issues in the FCT.
Wike in a press briefing before a closed-door meeting with FCT area council chairmen on Tuesday in his office in Abuja, Wike while calling for calm as all hands will be on deck to arrest the situation chided the chairmen for not living up to their responsibilities.
“All of us are aware of the security situation in FCT, particularly in Bwari and some other areas where we have witnessed security challenges.
“We are not sleeping; the security agencies are not sleeping, and we provide every support that they require to allay the fears of the residents,” he said.
“We are all concerned and we owe it a duty to make sure that FCT is safe. We will 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 the challenges are resolved,” he said.
The minister who chided the chairmen cautioned them against negligence, traveling out of the country when insecurity was ravaging their domain.
He added that all the Chairmen of the area councils were invited to the meeting because they also have a responsibility in their various councils.
“So, we will put our heads together to come up with solutions.”
Wike, however, frowned at constant travels by the area councils’ chairmen in the wake of challenges, particularly the current kidnappings and other security challenges affecting the council areas.
He described the development as unacceptable, considering the critical role of the council chairmen in addressing security challenges.
“This time around, we will not be happy, where area council chairmen will abdicate their responsibility and travel out.
“We have gotten reports that the council chairmen travel anytime, and if anything happens, they will not call anybody’s name, but the FCT ministers.
“Recently, the NUT embarked on strike, it is not because of our fault; it is the area councils as primary schools are under their purview. Again, it will look as if the ministers are doing nothing, but that is not our responsibility, however, we cannot fold our hands.”
The minister disclosed that he has invited the striking teachers for a meeting this afternoon to resolve the problem.
“So, council chairmen should know that they must wake up to their responsibilities. It is not everything that happens people will say that the ministers are not taking steps,” he said.
