TheCable

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says inadequate equipment and operational vehicles are hindering the fight against banditry and kidnappings in the FCT.

Wike spoke during a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Monday.

In recent times, the FCT has witnessed a spike in kidnappings and banditry.

The minister also blamed the recent surge in kidnappings in some border communities of the FCT on lack of tools to track criminals.

Wike, however, assured residents that the security challenges would soon be addressed following the approval for emergency procurement by President Bola Tinubu.

He said the approval was for the procurement of digital tracking tools and operational vehicles to track kidnappers.

“So many facilities were not provided and vehicles for the security agencies are not there,” Wike said.

“You cannot believe that equipment to track criminals are not there and when anything happens, security agencies go back to the office of the national security adviser or to the force headquarters.

“That is not the way it is supposed to be.”

Wike noted that security agencies need special equipment to reduce the level of crime.

He said the FCT administration has been able to identify what each security agency needs, adding that this would be sorted through the emergency procurement.

“Again, before we came on board, the police had said that they had requested procurement of a certain number of motorcycles where vehicles cannot get to — the remote areas. Some of these areas are mountainous,” Wike added.

“Unfortunately, the motorcycles were not provided, but we have been able to do that now.”

Wike added that security personnel also need to be motivated to ensure the success of security operations.

He said the FCTA would also establish a joint task force with a well-equipped command and control structure to respond to security emergencies.

“The next thing is to set up a joint security outfit here, where they have their own structure and equipment so that if anything happens, the task force will know it is its function and move in,” he said.

“Yes, it will cost us some funds and it will take us some time, but what is important is that we have identified that this is a lacuna that we have to cover.”

‘DON’TPOLITICISE SECURITY SITUATION’

The minister urged Nigerians not to politicise the security situation in the FCT.

He called on residents to give the government the needed support and urged politicians to desist from using the security situation to create panic.

“Nigerians forget easily and that is why we have always said let’s not play politics with the issue of security,” he said.

“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.”