Wike meets Senators, assures improved security, infrastructure

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has met with Senators at the National Assembly over the prevailing insecurity threatening lives and property in the Territory.

Wike also took the opportunity to assure stakeholders of improved security and infrastructure provision to the residents of the federal capital, Abuja.

He gave the assurance while briefing newsmen after a closed-door session with Senators during a Plenary, yesterday, at the National Assembly, in Abuja.

Recall that the Senate had invited the Minister and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, to brief the lawmakers on the measures deployed  to secure residents of FCT.

According to the minister, the interaction was fruitful, adding that Senators had agreed that security has significantly improved in the FCT.

He said: “What is important is what the FCT should expect from now. I will say improved security, more infrastructure. You can see what is going on in the FCT. It has been turned into a construction site.

“I am glad they are all happy with what we have done, what we are going to be doing and they provided some suggestions on ways forward.

“You can also see what has happened in the FCTA. Now we have our own Civil Service Commission; now we have our own Permanent Secretaries which has never been.

“There are new things in the FCT, and the residents are happy.”

He opined that no society exists without one form of crime or the other, adding that what was critical was being able to limit or reduce the level of insecurity.

Commenting on the spate of kidnappings, Wike said, “Most of the kidnapping stories you hear, some of them are stage-managed by people. There are some internal arrangements.

“Take for example, you have a housekeeper or a driver in the house who will plot to kidnap the child of their boss. In such a case, what do you expect us to do?

“What we can do is to ensure that the person that is kidnapped is released.”

Furthermore, he disclosed that the two most wanted kidnappers terrorising residents of the FCT have been arrested, adding that the development has reduced the level of kidnappings in Abuja.

In his words:“We are not saying we have gotten to where we want to be, but we are doing a lot and people should acknowledge that what used to be is not what we are seeing now.

“We will continue to do our best to ensure that we provide the best to our people.

“We cannot give you the assurance that there will be no form of criminality, nobody can do that, as long as we are humans.”