By Akinwale Kasali
Jolted by the deteriorating security situation in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister Nyesom Wike has given the deadly criminals who have wreaked death, blood and agony on Abuja residents a red card.
The Minister, who a couple of days ago, surprisingly, heaped the blame on Council Chairmen, seem to have suddenly woken up to the ugly situation and told the criminals that: enough is enough.”
Wike had come under criticisms for concerning himself with the politics of Rivers State while FCT, his primary assignment burns.
In the past two weeks, kidnappers have ran riot in Wike’s FCT, kidnapping whole families, and gruesomely murdering some of the kidnapped for not being able to raise and pay the ransom money to free their beloved ones.
Speaking during a confidence-boosting visit to Bwari, the area most hit by Kidnappers, the Minister read the riot act and told kidnappers and other criminals that there is no hiding place for them. He emphasized that those in Government have no reason to be in Government if they are unable to protect lives and properties.
Wike told those at the Townhall meeting held at the headquarters of Bwari Area Council with the residents, traditional rulers, security, defence and intelligence personnel in the area and other stakeholders that all shall be well.
The Minister is expected to also visit other Councils in the coming days.
At the event, Wike declared that enough was not only enough, but that informants working for the bandits would not be able to sleep among decent residents.
He said: “Security is one of the key priorities of Mr. President’s administration. Yesterday (Tuesday), Mr President summoned a high-level security meeting, which includes all the service chiefs, minister of defence, and my humble self, because of recent attacks, particularly in Bwari.
”So, currently, it is one of the key priorities Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda will want to face squarely.
“It is no longer going to be business as usual. My coming here today is to show you that we are serious. To all those bandits, enough is enough. We will do everything in our power to make sure this does not happen again.
“Everything has to be done to protect lives and property. Without protection of lives and property, we have no business in government. My coming here today is to assure you that we are very serious.
”That is why just this morning (yesterday), Mr. President has given me approval to provide everything required to the security agencies. And just like what Etsu-Bwari and Sarkin-Bwari said, it is not by merely talking, we are serious.
“ Security agencies will not have any reason to say they are not equipped; we will provide everything required. I know how big Bwari is, I know you have boundaries with three states – Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa.
”I know because these bandits were chased away from the Northeast, so they are making their way here, we will make it hot for them.”
Wike also sought the assistance of the people, especially with regards to providing information to security agencies.
“Without information, there is nothing we can do and that is where you come in. Traditional and community leaders, you have a great role to play. You need to assist security agencies with information.
“In the next few days, you will see action from the security agencies. There could be informants, even here within this meeting hall. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care. I am the minister of FCT. You won’t sleep again. Informants, you won’t sleep again.
“This message is not just for Bwari but to all the area councils. From time to time, we will come here and interface with you. We won’t sit down in the city,” Wike said.
He advised the public against resorting to crowd-funding in a bid to raise funds for ransom, saying it helped terrorists to launch more attacks.
He stated further: “We have to stop this idea of going to radio to say we are going to raise money. When you do that, these bandits are happy that people are concerned and raising money. I know you are concerned that your loved ones are with kidnappers but we must do everything to discourage them.”
