Chairman of the Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman Sabo has lamented the security havoc being caused through the activities of miners, especially in his Council.
He also identified inadequate roads as another contributory factor to the escalation of kidnapping and other forms of insecurity in the Council.
Abdullahi Sabo spoke today, January 27, when the ministry of the FCT, Nyeson Wike, held a town hall meeting with stakeholders in the Area Council, the same way he had done to the other five Area Councils.
The chairman sought the intervention of the minister towards addressing the grey areas, pleading for the Minister’s intervention in the construction and dualization of critical road projects in the Area Council.
According to him, it is becoming more difficult for motorists and other road users to move around “and this is contributing to insecurity.
“Mining activities in the council is also connected to the security challenges and I plead for proper regulation of the activities of miners.”
Abdullahi Sabo confirmed that the Council is still experiencing kidnapping incidents but added however, that the security agencies have been responding to the situation, in spite of the difficulties.
He said that the Minister’s visit has boosted the morale of the people, including the community leaders and the security agencies, even as he commended the Minister’s intervention on road constructions across the six Area Councils.
Responding, the Minister pledged continuous interactions with the six Area Councils to ensure security and development of the FCT.
Wike acknowledged that his visits to the Councils has increased his knowledge of issues that are of great importance to the people.
He assured that the dialogue would continue to foster the development of the FCT, saying: “apart from the fact that we are faced with security challenges now, we have decided that FCT is not just Abuja and therefore we have to be interacting with other areas that make up the FCT.
“If you don’t interact with them, you won’t know their peculiar problems. We can’t be sitting in the city without coming to you, finding out what your problems are, your immediate problems, so that we will be able to tackle them.”
Wike reiterated that security is one of the key priorities of the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that the Administration has made the necessary procurements to ensure that the security agencies get needed logistics over the next few weeks to secure the territory.
“We have purchased vehicles, motorbikes, communication gadgets, name them. So, it will no longer be logistics problems, we are ready for it.”
The Minister who expressed shock that the Kuje Area Council with close proximity to the city centre, did not have good motorable roads, in spite of its very massive land mass, said that he has signed the contract for the construction of the road from Rubochi to Kuje.
The Minister said that he was surprised that the contract for the roads leading to the resettlement areas in Kuje Area Councils are abandoned, promising that his government will take over the construction of the roads and complete them to improve the security of the area.
“Today, let me tell you, I will go back and take those projects and complete them for you…It’s not that we are doing you any good. You are entitled to it. It is our responsibility to provide the infrastructure to make life easy for you. “So, we are not doing anything extra ordinary. It’s our job and under this administration, and promises made by Mr. President and me as your Minister, by the grace of God, you will see changes in this FCT.”
The Minister called for the support of the people and the traditional institutions, urging them to provide useful information to the security agencies to enable them address the security challenges.
He again, warned criminals and their collaborators in the capital city to give up and repent or be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He also called on the Council Chairman to work with the security agencies to ensure that the local vigilantes are profiled and empowered, in addition to also holding regular security meetings in the Council, at least once a month.
The Minister equally urged the Council Chairmen to stay in their domains and do what they have been elected to do, rather than going to stay in the city centre.
“You can’t run away from your responsibility. Make sure you stay here and know the problems of your people and you will be able to relate it to us, then we will be able to know how we can support you.”
