By Stanley Onyekwere
In the wake of the mixed reactions trailing the rising kidnappings in Abuja, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike has cautioned residents and other stakeholders against politicisation of insecurity in the Nigeria’s capital city.
Wike, who issued the caution during a media chat yesterday in Abuja, decried that politicians were cashing out on the current security challenges to cause panic among FCT residents.
He noted that instead of commending the efforts of security agencies in addressing insecurity, some residents have continued to create panic, by pushing out false alarms.
However, the minister who commended security agencies for the efforts so far, that the media chat presents him and the FCT Administration with an opportunity to update Nigerians regarding the issues of security in FCT.
According to him, the security agencies should be commended for the successes being recorded so far, rather than the political propaganda that security in FCT has collapsed to cause panic.
He said: “After the first kidnapping incident in Bwari, President Tinubu summoned the service chiefs and my humble self and within a few days you have seen what they have achieved.
“But nobody is talking about that. Nobody has come to commend them. All you here security has collapsed.”
He there called on residents to give the government the needed support and desists from generalizing security issues as if it was a daily occurrence.
While reiterating that nobody is happy that kidnapping is rearing its ugly head in FCT, the Minister opines that “Nigerians forget easily and that is why we have always said let’s not play politics with the issue of security.
“Remember, some time ago, in the last administration, we were told that bandits came to Kuje prison and wreaked havoc. Nobody said there was no Minister of FCT. There was a minister.
“Nobody talks about FCT being the capital. Remember, there was an administration where terrorists came and burnt the United Nations building here. It was in FCT.
“Remember, there was an attack to burn the police headquarters. There was a minister.
“All over the world, we have heard where armed men went to school in cities and shot at will, killing 15 to 16 people in the United States in Britain as developed as they are.
“That does not mean that the security in those cities has collapsed.”
Furthermore, Wike enjoined residents to learn to appreciate government efforts, and support the security agencies with intelligence information to assist in addressing the menace.
