FCT: Wike Bags Another Chieftaincy Title Amid Worsening Insecurity

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was on Friday conferred the traditional title of ‘Barden Bwari’ (protector or defender of Bwari people) amid rising insecurity in the federal capital.

Etsu Bwari, Ibrahim Yaro, conferred the title on the minister during the flag-off of the 7.2km Gaba-Tokulo-Kaima road on Friday in Bwari.

Bwari in recent times has become a hotspot for kidnapping and banditry in the Federal Capital Territory.

THE WHISTLER reported abduction of no fewer than 20 persons in the area council with about five persons killed.

The Etsu, however, lauded Wike for identifying with Bwari people in their time of despair.

Wike, on his part, promised Bwari residents that all abandoned Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) projects will be restarted and completed.

He said his administration will not be involved in awarding contracts without money, which he described as the ‘greatest 419’.

His words, “I’m not going to be involved in awarding any contract when we don’t have money, and that is why as I came on board I try to tell directors to stop this idea of putting a project when there is no money, it doesn’t make sense.

“The greatest 419 you do to community people is flagging off a project and the next one month you don’t see any contractor again, that is the highest 419.

“We will not be involved in that, if I start a project it must be completed, I am not going to do a project that will last more than one year, I won’t be a party to that .

“A project that will cost you six billion naira then you go and put in the budget three hundred million naira, are you willing to complete that project then? Certainly not. So, we are going to change the narrative, we are going to change the way people used to do things before. We are going to do something that will have a direct impact on the people.

“Tinubu asked me to tell the Bwari Area Council people that all what they requested should be given to them. Therefore, all your requests on the abandoned projects which were initially to be carried out by FCDA, I can assure you that by the directive of the president, go home and sleep with your two eyes closed, those projects must be restarted.

“Part of insecurity is as a result of lack of basic infrastructure, people don’t have access to road make things difficult for even security agencies to carry out their jobs very well, each day you hear that there is crisis in the neighbouring communities, how can the police and other security agencies go there when there is no good road?”

Earlier in the week, the minister was conferred with the title of “Sarkin Yaki” by the Aguma of Gwagwalada, Mohammed Magaji.