FCT Residents Decry Rising Insecurity, Demand Urgent Action

FCT Residents Decry Rising Insecurity, Demand Urgent Action

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have described the rate of kidnapping and robbery within the city centre in recent time, as alarming.

Some of the residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday described the spate of insecurity in the FCT as worrisome, alarming and unacceptable.

They urged security agencies and the FCT Administration to take urgent measures to save residents from the criminals.

Mr Joel Adewale, a civil servant, told NAN that his daughter was attacked recently on her way from Wuse to Gwagwalada.

He said she was taken to a lonely road off Airport road before being dispossessed of her belongings.

Adewale added that the girl was forced to put a call across to him to transfer money to her account, which was removed using a PoS machine by the criminals.

“It was more like a case of kidnap for ransom, but I was lucky to have my daughter back after parting with N150,000,” he added.

Mr Joshua Orogun, the former President of Abuja Newspapers Distributors Association, said the increasing rate of insecurity the FCT, has been allowed to linger for over 15 years.

“Though the previous governments tried their best, more needs to be done to safeguard the lives of residents.

“I implore the present administration to put in place measures to address the ugly situation headlong.

“I particularly called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to do the needful to come to our aid by deploying the necessary machinery to salvage the situation.

“The situation we found ourselves now, calls for a very sincere approach and fervent prayer,” Orogun added.

According to him, one of his friends and chairman of a motor park in Area 10, was recently kidnapped in Keti, a suburb of Pyakasa, and had to pay N1 million ransom before he was released.

Orogun urged residents to be very vigilante while going about their legitimate businesses “as everybody is now at the mercy of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes”.

Another resident, Mr Friday Odekina, a communication expert, blamed the increasing insecurity to the rising number of people with no means of livelihood in the FCT.

According to him, the number of people with no means of livelihood trooping to the city has trippled, with some of them taking to crime for survival.

“Everybody is now allowed to be in Abuja against its original master plan that emphasised on a particular set of people.

“To me, if government is serious of fighting the menace headlong, those set of people should be gotten rid of, because they not only constitute nuisance, but are the ones terrorising residents,” Odekina said.

Also, Adeniyi Olajide, a public servant, said that of recent, the rate of insecurity in the FCT has taken a new dimension.

“Just about two weeks ago, a friend of mine was kidnapped and uptill now, he is still in captivity.

“The kidnappers made contact and demanded for ransom, but after paying the ransom, he hasn’t regained his freedom up till now.”

He therefore urged the FCT Administration to look inward and checkmate the activities of the criminals.

“The criminals are having a field day in the territory, people now live in perpetual fear, especially while trying to board a cab whether painted or not, because of the fear of the unknown.

“Just recently, a friend of mine boarded a taxi from Lugbe to Wuse District, only for him to be taken to Bwari and dispossessed of everything on him, including all the money in his bank accounts,” he added.

Another victim, who worked with one of the paramilitary agencies died of trauma after he was abducted and dispossessed of all the money in his bank account.

According to a member of the deceased family, who preferred anonymity, the victim encountered the criminals in early August when he boarded a vehicle on his way home after closing from work.

The source said the deceased officer was robbed of huge sums of money kept in his possession by a friend.

He said the trauma of how to refund the money to his friend pushed him into depression and he later died.

Also, a journalist with one of the government owned media organisations in Abuja, was abducted on Sept. 14, after closing from work at about 6 pm.

The lady journalist said she boarded a taxi from Central Area to Lugbe, but was taken to an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city by four armed men.

According to her, the kidnappers forced her to transfer all the money in her bank account amounting to millions of naira.

They further forced her to call her relations and friends who also paid over a million naira in ransom before her release.

When contacted, the FCT Police Command, downplayed the reports of increasing incidences of robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the territory.

According to the command Spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the command is doing its best to safeguard lives and property of residents.

“It is not true that the activities of “one chance” is increasing in the FCT because the command is not relenting in its efforts to protect lives and property.