Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has placed a N20 million bounty on any criminal caught in the country’s capital.
Mr Wike made the declaration during the parade of suspects of kidnappings and other criminalities by the FCT Police Command in Abuja
He explained that on no account should criminality persist in Abuja, stating that in a couple of days, the police and other security agencies will receive more communication gadgets for intelligence gathering and other equipment needed to carry out their duties effectively.
According to reports, over the last three years, close to 50 kidnap cases have been recorded in Abuja, involving over 200 individuals. One of the extreme cases led to the death of Ms Greatness Olorunfemi, who fell victim to “one chance” rides in the capital.
Last month, the FCT Commissioner for Public Complaint, Mr Dalhatu Ezekiel, asked the federal government to prioritise the area’s security situation and immediately declare a state of emergency
He had also called on Mr Wike to suspend all projects currently ongoing if need be to address this pertinent issue that involves the lives of FCT residents.
To staunch the kidnapping, Mr Wike, said last year that he plans to ban tricycles, also known as Keke Napep, an essential mode of transport for its millions of poor because of the role he says they play in a crime and kidnapping crisis.
“It is painful, but it’s an inconvenience that we must face,” Mr Wike told residents’ associations in a November meeting, adding that “Some of these keke Napep are agents of criminals,” Mr Ezekiel stated.
According to Mr Wike, the FCDA would in the stead roll out buses and taxes very soon to solve the problem of transportation and the criminal activities of one chance in the FCT.
