Victor Ezeja
AdminThe Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday listed Bwari, Kuje and Abaji as the area councils that are worst hit by kidnapping. It disclosed that although there are some isolated cases in the other area councils, major instances of abductions were usually from the aforementioned councils.
This was disclosed by the Director of Administration and Finance, FCTA Security Services Department, Ebele Molokwu, during an end-of-year media briefing in Abuja, stating that
the councils share boarder with some states noted for kidnapping.
According to her, after the bandits came to strike in the FCT they will run back to those states but assured that the Administration was determined to check both kidnapping and one chance syndicates in the territory.
Also speaking at the briefing, the Director, Department of Security Service, FCTA, Adamu Gwary, said FCTA has restructured its security committee into G-7 to now involves traditional rulers in non-kinetic approach, where the district heads meet regularly with the village heads and convey the decision reached at the meeting with the graded chiefs through the Ona of Abaji.
He stated that the committee will also include a number of security informants like artisans and farmers, among others, stressing that the use of informants and vigilante groups for information and intelligence gathering are part of community policing in the FCTA.
Gwary said FCTA has banned begging and hawking within the secretariat as part of efforts to ensure security. He also said FCTA has concluded plans to float an effective transportation system to address the menace of ‘one chance’ (fraudulent) operators in the capital city.
“We are working assiduously behind the scenes to maintain security in the nation’s capital, including keeping peace between herders and farmers. We are also working with relevant agencies in preventing vandalisation of public utilities,” he said.
He said FCTA has completed the installation of CCTV cameras around its secretariat in phase I of the programme, adding that phase II would involve installation in strategic areas of the city.
This, according to him, will enable security agencies to monitor, arrest, and prosecute criminals. He called on residents to be security conscious and report any suspicious happenings to nearby police stations.
The Director equally charged tradition leaders to adhere to the code of conduct guiding traditional institutions, disclosing that a traditional chief was arrested for involvement in kidnapping.
He said the chief has been stripped of his title and handed over for prosecution. He decried weak legal structures in the FCT, which he said are negatively affecting adjudication and punishment of lawbreakers and criminals.
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