FCT residents demand security to end kidnapping, robbery, others

For fast becoming an enclave of kidnappings, robberies, gang violence and related criminal activities, residents have sought adequate security in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to a 2020 report by SB Morgan, Abuja was ranked 11th among locations with frequent abductions. Approximately 40 recorded kidnap cases occurred between January 2021 and June 2023, affecting hundreds of victims.

Confirmed ransom payments, according to reports, totalled N653.7 million between 2021 and 2022. These criminal activities often have significant negative economic impacts on the city, as well as emotional impacts on residents and small businesses, as it sends jitters to investors and diplomatic communities, with several embassies, especially UK and U.S. embassies releasing security advisories to their citizens in the not distant past.

The city witnessed respite when the immediate past police boss, Benneth Igweh, who had been promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), took over the security of the territory in late 2023. Kidnapping under his watch was put in checks, although not totally decimated.

Before he took over, locations like Gwagwalada, Kuje, Lugbe, Pegi, Abaji, Keti, Kwali, Kurudu, Bwari, Karmo, among others were hotbeds of kidnappers and their collaborators.

The new sheriff and former Commissioner of Police in Rivers State Command, Tunji Disu, faces challenges of ensuring that the porous borders between Abuja and states like Kogi, Niger, Nassarawa, are well-policed.

Residents expect him to combat kidnapping, gang violence, car snatching, and armed robbery, among others. A security analyst, Senator Iroegbu, observed that the current security situation in the FCT remains concerning, mirroring the nation’s overall security challenges. He said notable improvements have been made in physical stop-and-search operations by the police, particularly at night.

To build on the momentum, he urged the new CP to prioritise intelligence gathering, targeted raids, security awareness campaigns, community engagements and inter-agency collaboration.

Iroegbu noted: “These measures will help curb crimes such as one-chance, kidnapping, and armed robbery. By adopting a comprehensive approach that combines law enforcement with community engagement and socio-economic development, the FCT can make meaningful progress in enhancing security and protecting its residents.”

A resident, Chuks Okoh, stated that the current security situation in the FCT is a complex one. He, however, urged Disu to conduct a thorough assessment of the security situation to identify areas of concern and develop strategies to address them.

According to him, the new CP should focus on building trust and partnerships with the community to prevent and address security concerns. National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko, insisted that the security of lives and property of citizens in Abuja “is in very precarious situations with rampant cases of one-chance violent robberies happening all in the FCT and all the times without the security forces putting in place a lasting solution to these crimes that have become a commonplace in the nation’s capital with unprecedented high number of casualties and with many citizens and foreigners alike falling victims to these daredevil armed robbers.”

According to him, the area councils outside of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, “are almost no-go areas because of incessant kidnappings and invasions of housing estates by terrorists who come in from Niger and Kogi states to attack residents and kidnap intermittently, hold many hostages to extract ransom payments from their worried family members.”

He urged the FCT Administration (FCTA) to work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fish out the individuals that siphoned the budget meant for the CCTV project that would have covered Abuja.

On his resumption last week, Disu had pledged to engender intelligence-driven policing, warning kidnappers and robbery gangs to vacate the city. He hinted that strengthening intelligence-gathering capabilities would be crucial in preemptively addressing potential threats and criminal activities during his tenure.