Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the FCT Administration would continue to work with the traditional rulers in ensuring maximum security in the nation’s capital city.
Wike gave the assurance on Wednesday while speaking during a strategic security meeting with members of the FCT Council of Chiefs and the Area Council chairmen.
He stated that President Tinubu gave his assurance, before he departed for France, that the government is doing all within its powers to curb insecurity across the country.
He said “We have asked all the Area Councils to set up vigilance teams and we believe that those vigilance teams won’t be the ones perpetrating the crimes. Therefore, they must be profiled so that they are known.
“Who are they? Are they from our communities? So that we won’t say we want to solve a problem and then cause another one. They (chairmen) will have to do that with you (traditional rulers).
“We have told the Police and other security agencies to itemise all their needs and we are going to meet them so that our people can sleep comfortably with their eyes closed.
“If there are things you think we should do too, we are willing to partner with you so that the challenges we are facing now will be a thing of the past. You must work hard because insecurity is not written on anybody’s face. Anyone can be a victim and that is why we must do everything possible to ensure that our subjects are not victims of these criminals.
“We are not folding our hands, we are not sleeping. We are working 24 hours round the clock. Again, you would have heard that we are demolishing shanties. You know criminals won’t want to live in known houses.
“They commit crimes and run to shanties that can’t be easily traced. So, we will continue to demolish shanties. You need to support us. You don’t allow people to bring propaganda. There is nothing like that.
“Very soon we are going to roll out our buses which will be painted in Abuja colours and we won’t allow taxis that are not painted in our colours to operate so that this issue of ‘one chance’ can be eliminated.
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“We sincerely thank all of you for your concerns and efforts. Before Mr President departed this afternoon, he said I should inform you that the government is doing all within its powers to curb insecurity. Already, the government has shown strength. It has shown courage in fighting insecurity across the country.
“This is the FCT where many Nigerians want to come and stay and so we are more concerned because when the capital is threatened, the whole country is threatened. So, we are very serious with security. We are not sleeping. We are working 24 hours.
“We have met with the councils and we have told them the little we need, which is information, to be able to help security agencies that are directly involved in the fight against criminalities. Nobody would say there is anywhere in this world, no matter how developed, that has no form of insecurity or the other.
“The only difference is that it is either nipped in the bud or you are sure that if it happens, the criminals are caught. But that is not an excuse for us. We are ready to ensure it doesn’t happen or when it happens, the perpetrators are arrested and made to face the wrath of the law,” he said.
