TheCable

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has handed over 100 motorcycles to security agencies and the six area councils in Abuja to boost the fight against crime in the nation’s capital.

Wike presented the motorcycles in Abuja on Monday during a brief ceremony attended by the area council chairmen and heads of the security agencies.

The minister said each of the six area councils will get 10 motorcycles, which they will issue to their vigilante outfits, while the police will get 30.

He added that the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will get five motorcycles each.

“Remember that security agencies requested special motorcycles for use, particularly in the rural areas. This is not enough. But, we will continue to provide more,” Wike said.

“For vehicles, we believe that in the next two weeks, they will be ready to be given out to the security agencies. Anything we can do to protect lives and property, we are going to do it.

“I don’t want to hear stories tomorrow that these motorcycles are nowhere to be found again. I don’t want to hear such stories because sometimes when you give out vehicles before you know it, the vehicles are no longer there. Please utilize these motorcycles to fight crime in the areas you have identified.

“So, I urge you to use it well and take it not for commercial purposes. I don’t want to see the motorcycles in the city here. It should be used in the rural areas.

“So, please let it be taken to the rural areas. All the security outposts, you give it to them so that we don’t continue to hear excuses that the terrain is so bad, they require this and that.”

Christopher Maikalangu, chairman of the Abuja municipal area council (AMAC), thanked the minister on behalf of his colleagues for the support.

The area council chairman assured Wike that they would use the motorcycles for the purposes meant for.

Bennet Igwe, commissioner of police in the FCT, said the motorcycles would be distributed to the outposts in rural areas.

Umar Bakori, a retired navy captain and commandant-general of the Vigilance Group of Nigeria (VGN), said the motorcycles will “improve security in rural communities considerably”.