Insecurity: Why Abuja remains safest Nigerian city —Wike

By Stanley Onyekwere

In spite of seemingly prevailing increasing security threats to lives and property, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has declared that Abuja remains one of the safest city in the country.
Wike opined that isolated incidents of insecurity in some parts of Abuja, do not define the city’s overall safety outlook.
Making this assertion while responding to questions from journalists during inspection of ongoing work on the Wuye District Infrastructure and the Federal Highway 105 from the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Kuje township, at the weekend, the minister said there is improved security in the FCT compared to what obtained in the past.
According to him: “The problem we have here is that when one incident happens, we forget that three months ago, nothing happened.
We do agree that something may happen but that does not mean that Abuja is not safe…I don’t want us to take that to mean that the city is not safe. If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city.
“You should give us and the security agencies credit that we are doing quite a lot to make Abuja safe, and Abuja has been safe.”
Furthermore, the minister reiterated that the “Light Up Abuja” program, which involves installing solar streetlights across districts and expressways, is also a strategic initiative to further enhance security in the nation’s capital.
While appraising the projects inspected, Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace and progress of work, saying that Arab Contractors, the firm handling the Wuye District infrastructure, has assured that the project is nearing completion, with the road expected to be finished within 10 days.
Barr. Wike also praised the work on the Airport Road to Kuje dual carriageway, which he had visited severally.
He also explained that the 8-lane road when completed will significantly reduce travel time, allowing Kuje residents to reach the city center in just 15 to 20 minutes.
He opined that the road will be inaugurated during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third anniversary celebration.
“You can see how beautiful the landscape is. We believe that, God willing, just as they have promised, with our support, and we will continue to support.
“Latest, during the third anniversary of Mr. President, we believe that this road will be one of the roads that will be inaugurated to the delight of residents of Kuje and the entire people of Abuja, and of course to the happiness of all Nigerians.
“The level of infrastructure is such that we have not seen before, and everybody will attest to the fact that if you are living in Kuje, you don’t need to go and find a house in the city to live. By the time this road is commissioned, which is not less than 8-lane dual carriageway, in about 15 or 20 minutes, you are already in the city centre and that’s what development is all about. That’s what the Renewed Hope Agenda is all about. So, we are happy”, he stressed.