Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike on Wednesday placed an N20 million bounty on the heads of two criminals terrorising residents of the territory, dead or alive.
Wike made the announcement in Abuja on Wednesday, while making remarks at the FCT Police Command, where 15 arrested suspected kidnappers and one chance robbers were paraded.
The bounty was in response to the Police Commissioner’s remarks that two other criminals were still on the run, adding that the police were on their trail.
Wike, who emphasised the money placed on the heads of the remaining criminals, said, “You say it is remaining about two or three more persons to be arrested, let me put money on their heads, wherever they are send your men after them wherever they are, I will give them N20 million, go and fish them out from wherever they are, use that money in their head I want to see them dead or alive.”
The minister who commended the FCT Police Command promised to support the police with more vehicles and communication gadgets to aid their intelligence gathering and arrests of more criminals in the territory.
“We will do everything humanly possible to provide all that you require to fight crime and criminality in FCT. We believe in the next few weeks you will get more vehicles, more communication gadgets that will enable you and your men to face these criminals.”
“And let me assure the residents of FCT that with the support of Mr President we are fully prepared to face them, adding that the time has come, every day is for the thief, the next day is for the owner of the house.” He said.
The minister further enjoined the residents to see the police as their friend by providing information.
“Information is key. Without information, there is nothing the police can do . I urge you to still do more in intelligence gathering. It is intelligence that has led to these arrests.”
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh disclosed that so far some groups consisting of eight members of one – chance have been arrested while acting on credible intelligence reports including arrest of the most wanted gang of kidnappers terrorizing the FCT.
Furthermore, the head of a syndicate gang of criminals operating with their wives over the years was arrested after they both collected the sum of N2 million each on behalf of their husbands. They are responsible for the kidnappings and killings at Kabusa, Defense estate and environs, Igweh said.
In a related development, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has demolished illegal buildings and shanties in Gwarinpa, removing over fifteen thousand illegal occupants in the area.
FCT Director of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, who disclosed this to newsmen after the demolition exercise, explained that the illegal buildings obstructed arterial Road N16, which ran from the Federal Secretariat, through Maitama, Katampe, Jahi and then to Gwarinpa.
He added that the Engineering Department of the FCTA was ready to begin construction on the road as soon as the demolition was completed and that the construction of the road had already been awarded.
“This location that we are on is a road corridor, it’s an arterial road that is called N16, but on the other side of the city, this is the road that is named the Shehu Shagari Way. So, it starts from Federal Secretariat, through Maitama, Katampe, Jahi, and then to Gwarinpa.
“As I said, these are structures that were illegally built on the road corridor. That is why we are coming to remove them because, Engineering Department will start the road construction right away. That is why we have to remove the obstacles that are preventing them from the road construction”.
“Well, they are being relocated somewhere else, but we have over 10 to 15,000 people who are staying here illegally. As we are clearing now, engineering is already on standby. The contract has been awarded. They are on standby, they wrote to us that they want us to clear this corridor for them, so that the road construction can commence. So they will not come back to this place again”, he added.
The Secretary, FCT Command and Control Center, Peter Olumuji, also told newsmen that the demolished shanties had become notorious for harbouring criminals, adding that the demolition would bring about better security for those residing in Gwarimpa and its environments
“The shanties we have here that you have seen physically harbours a lot of criminal elements that have been terrorising Gwarinpa and its environments. You have issues of illicit drug dealing, you have issues of rape of the girl child, you have issues of different kinds of armed robbery suspects that have been arrested within. There is a place even called the Abacha Estate, where the Police have recovered arms and ammunition in times past. So, this demolition is going to bring about better security for those who are residing within Gwarimpa and its environments,” he said.
