Wike To Kidnappers: ‘Be Ready…The End Has Come For You’

…Urges Residents To Stop Raising Ransom For Kidnappers

…Approves Demolition Of Uncompleted Buildings In Gwagwalada

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced the arrest of alleged informants aiding kidnappers in the nation’s capital.

Wike, during a town hall meeting in Gwagwalada area council on Friday, declared “time’s up” for kidnappers as he pledged to track them down.

While addressing the gathered stakeholders and residents, the minister conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring the security of lives and property.

Speaking in pidgin English, Wike disclosed that suspected informants of kidnappers have been arrested.

He said, “The president has asked me to come here today. The other day I was in Bwari and next week I will go to Kwali.

“Security is one thing the president promised Nigerians because his job is to protect lives and property. If we can’t protect lives and property, then we have no reason being in government.

“The president has asked me to assure you that he will not abandon you. So, all these criminals, be ready. Your time is up. You know if I say I will do something, I will do it. And now that I am here today, if you know you are an informant or even one of the criminals, the end has come for you. I and security agencies will follow you to the point that you won’t enter Gwagwalada again.

“Some of the people giving them information, we have arrested them. If they haven’t arrested you, it doesn’t mean that we won’t arrest you tomorrow or even before we leave this place”.

Responding to the urgent need for enhanced security infrastructure and more police divisions in the council, Wike instructed the Police Commissioner to expedite plans for additional police divisions in Gwagwalada.

He said; “The CP should work out how we can provide two more police divisions in Gwagwalada. We must do this immediately. It is a security matter and must not be bogged down by bureaucratic bottlenecks.”

The minister said he has been empowered by the President to equip the police force with more vehicles and modern communication gadgets to eliminate kidnapping incidents in Abuja.

“The president has given me the power to buy more vehicles. By next week, we shall give more vehicles to all police stations. We shall give them modern communication gadgets. The president has said he does not want to hear any story of kidnapping in Abuja again and the security agencies have promised to rise to the occasion. We are very serious. We are not playing. But we need your support too because security agencies cannot do this work alone. They need information. When you give them information, they will work better”.

Wike urged citizens to collaborate with security agencies and warned the public against crowdfunding for ransoms, deeming it counterproductive as it emboldens kidnappers.

He said; “It is not also good to go to the radio to raise ransoms. It is a way of encouraging criminals. We know it is not easy when your people are in captivity but we have to avoid raising ransom. It fuels the activities of kidnappers”.

Wike further approved the demolition of uncompleted structures, urging prompt action without bureaucratic delays. He instructed the Council chairman to submit the demolition request by Monday.

“By Monday, the chairman should bring the letter for me to approve the demolition of uncompleted structures where criminals are hibernating. Don’t behave like civil servants. Today is Friday. Ensure you bring the letter by Monday and I will be happy to approve it”, he stated.

Earlier, the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, echoed concerns over security, emphasizing the need for additional police divisions and the clearance of potential criminal hideouts.

He said, “From January last year to December, here in Gwagwalada we didn’t have much issues of kidnapping. We used to have before but with the synergy among stakeholders, it was reduced.

“We have some undeveloped structures and I will write to your office for approval because that is where criminals hibernate. I will write to you for approval so that we can clear all those structures because that is where criminals hide and launch attacks on the people.

“We also need more police divisions in the council because we only have two – one in Zuba and one in Gwagwalada town. We want more divisions in the boundary between Gwagwalada (FCT) and Niger state, precisely in Dobi. Also, we need one in Giri village where there is a constant influx of people”.

Traditional rulers at the event supported the requests made by the chairman and urged the completion of the General Hospital in Gwagwalada and the dualization of a key road leading to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.