The Minister, who spoke yesterday, February 16, at the regular FCT Security Committee meeting in Abuja, said that the scavengers who often operate under the influence of hard drugs, perpetrate a lot of criminal activities within the city.
“Each time there is crisis, you find that people of no known address, people without any means of livelihood suddenly come up with arms and start fighting each other and killing each other. All these are done under the influence of drugs and this is something that we are going to confront head-on.”
Muhammad Musa Bello said that the scavengers had hitherto concentrated their criminal activities on vandalizing public utilities but had now become major threats to lives and property, reiterating that their activities remain banned in the Federal Capital City
He said that there will now be an improved working synergy within the security and intelligence community in the FCT because the task of the provision of adequate security cannot be left to the police alone.
He also called for the support of the citizenry, especially in terms of providing intelligence to the security agencies, saying: “we need citizens’ support, especially in terms of intelligence dissemination and also for leaders at all levels, whether it’s at the ward level or at the city level or at the village level or at the Area Council level.
“Political leaders at all levels, as well as traditional and religious leaders have to play their part and we need to communicate and also encourage citizens to be law abiding and also to provide needed intelligence. Doing that, I think by the grace of God, we will surmount and continue to make FCT a very safe place for everybody”.
The Minister said that the security agencies also briefed the Committee on their plans and strategies to fight the kidnappings that occur, especially in communities outside the Federal Capital City.
Muhammad Musa Bello said that efforts will be made to continue to encourage the cordial relationship between herders and farmers within the FCT in order to prevent clashes between them.
This was even as the Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu reassured the residents of the capital city of their safety as the Administration is not unaware of the security challenges, adding that it is taking all necessary measures for the protection of lives and property.
She said that the Administration is paying great attention to the reoccurrence of the Ebola Virus disease in Guinea, taking into consideration that the FCT is an international gateway into Nigeria.
Dr. Tijjani Aliyu called on private clinics running the COVID-19 tests without reporting their finding to the relevant health authorities to desist from doing so.
She called for the full disclosure of all mortalities suspected to be COVID-19 so that post mortems can be carried out on the deceased so that their relations can receive adequate care.
