The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Mariya Mahmoud, has assured residents of the territory that the efforts put in place by the FCT Administration to address the issues of insecurity across the territory will soon yield positive results.
The Minister gave this assurance when she paid a sympathy visit to the family of Al-Kadriyar Mansoor, whose daughters were recently released after several days in kidnappers dens.
The Nigerian Tribune had reported how the girls, numbering six, including a cousin of theirs, were abducted alongside their father, Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, who was later released to go and raise the N60 million ransom placed on them, of which one of the girls, Nabeeha, a 400-level student in the department of biological sciences at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was killed by the kidnappers for delay in payment of the ransom.
Mahmoud stressed that since the reported cases of kidnapping in recent times, the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has been on his feet, doing all that is necessary to improve the security situation in the city centre, including the satellite towns.
She said, “I am sure the people of FCT will also bear witness to our collective efforts in tackling insecurity. They have seen how we have been up and doing since this incident of kidnapping and other security matters.
“His Excellency, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has been on his feet. We have been doing all that is necessary to improve our security situation at FCT.
“All the support to be given to the security agencies has been put in place, and some materials and equipment they need to carry out their work are also in the process.
“So also the issue of access roads, which we think will also improve the security situation in FCT and the satellite towns.
“I am sure you too have seen that the issue of kidnapping is going down, but we want it at a zero level.”.
She, however, expressed satisfaction over the victims’ state of health, noting that they are in a stable condition.
According to her, “We are here today in the house of Mr. Alkadriyar Mansoor because of the tragedy that happened to the family. specifically the issue of kidnapping his five female children, but was released with the support of the government and family members.
“So we have come to support the family and to tell them that the FCT Administration is with them. By and large, we are here to see how they are coping psychologically, mentally, and spiritually. And we thank Almighty Allah for their lives and health because they are in a stable condition.”.
In his response, the father of the children, who was also a victim, Mr Alkadriyar Mansoor, thanked the minister for the show of love, even as he called on the administration to extend the same to other victims.
He also called on the administration to equip the security agencies more, adding that the current equipment used by security agencies cannot measure up with the equipment used by the bandits.
He said, ” I am highly elated that the FCT Administration deemed it necessary to pay my family visit, of which there are several other families who have been victims of kidnappers.
“And I wish they would extend the gesture they have extended to me to other families who have been kidnapped like this as well.
“Nevertheless, I want the government to improve security in the local areas within FCT. Bwari, in particular, is so porous. Bwari borders about three or four states. And if action is not taken, it might escalate to other things I don’t expect.
“And the Nigerian Police Force needs to be empowered more. especially those in rural areas and not in the city centres.
“What they are having in their hands and the equipment they have cannot really measure up to what the criminals are using nowadays. So buying them vehicles is not the only thing. Buy them gadgets that they will use to work.”.
In a related development, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, met with the management team, leaders of all tactical units, and heads of departments of the FCT Police Command, comprising area commanders and divisional police officers (DPOs), over the weekend.
The meeting, which he deemed necessary, is aimed at revamping the approach of the already existing security framework and setting in motion the plan to ensure the safety of residents in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja over the weekend by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the FCT Commissioner of Police, while addressing the officers, urged them to embrace intelligence-led policing and visibility-led policing through constant stop and search duty in the fight against criminality.
He emphasised the need to adopt effective community partnerships in the discharge of their duties, as he will have zero tolerance for laxity.
He also tasked the heads of the tactical units to identify black spots and possible kidnappers’ dens in the territory and ensure they take the fight to them. He ordered the total clampdown of vehicles without number plates or with a single number plate plying the FCT roads.
CP Benneth C. Igweh mni reiterated his readiness to combat criminality in the Territory as he called on residents to collaborate with the police in the fight against crime and to avoid boarding vehicles along the road and unapproved parks.
