INSECURITY: Wike Asks FCT Council Chairmen To Strengthen Vigilante Groups

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged chairmen of the six area councils to strengthen local vigilance teams in their domains and ensure the procurement of additional security vehicles.

Wike said this during a town hall meeting held on Tuesday in Kwali, Abuja, where he emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling insecurity.

Addressing stakeholders and residents, Wike said his administration has almost concluded procurement processes of more security motorcycles to enhance mobility and promises to deploy vehicles to vigilance teams.

He said; “I have listened to what the chairman has said. The chairman has virtually requested everything but he has not told me what he has done.

“For me, whatever that is going to bring development or improve security, government has no hesitation. The president has directed me to let you know he feels your pains and that is why he has said I must go and see all the councils, talk to them and tackle insecurity headlong.

“I can assure you that in a matter of days you will be hearing positive stories. We are ready to support our security agencies whatever they need to ensure that our people can sleep with their two eyes closed. We have almost concluded procurement of vehicles for security agencies. We are going to provide the councils with motorcycles to support the vigilance teams so that they can get information and assist the security agencies.”

He urged the councils to prioritize the welfare of vigilance teams and emphasized the crucial role of timely information in maintaining security.

“Our youths, we have directed the council chairmen to ensure that the vigilance teams are well taken care of. We need information from you because without information, the security agencies would have little or nothing to do. If you give them information on time, they will make sure that bad things don’t happen”.

Acknowledging concerns about bad roads contributing to kidnapping, Wike asked council chairmen to recommend two more roads in addition to the earlier ones recommended to the FCT Administration for reconstruction.

He pledged the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the development of FCT and announced a collaborative approach with traditional rulers and citizens for budget proposals, ensuring people-oriented projects.

“We will not abandon you. We will make sure we develop the Area Councils. Before the end of the tenure of President Tinubu, you will see a lot of infrastructure going on in the Area Councils.

“Every year before we submit our budget to the NASS, we will come to you the traditional rulers and the people to ask you what your infrastructure needs are so that we can include them in the budget. We won’t abandon any project. If we don’t have the money we won’t embark on any project”, he declared.

Earlier, the Kwali Area Council Chairman, Danladi Chiya, highlighted security challenges and requested the establishment of a police division in Gwako, a military base in another part of the council, and intervention in road improvements.

He said; “We have a lot of challenges security-wise. Indeed, we have challenges because of the hills surrounding Kwali. There are bad roads that the bad guys also use to abduct people. The roads are not motorable. Come to our aid to help put the roads in good shape. That will help reduce the incidences of kidnapping.

“We also require further military presence. We have vast lands. We need more police stations especially in Gwako which has become a haven for these bad elements.

“We will write to your office because there is another road that has been abandoned by the contractors. Wherever they discover that the roads are not good, they use such spots as hideouts.

“Our people are prepared to chase them, but for the bad roads.

“Then our stadium in Kwali, the bad boys have turned it into a hideout. There is little we could do on the stadium because it is an FCDA project.

“We also need motorcycles for the vigilance teams. I have given them some before but we need more and therefore I seek your intervention in this regard”.

Wike assured the Kwali Area Council of the ongoing efforts to address their concerns and pledged sustained collaboration to enhance security and infrastructure, promising positive developments in the coming days.