Wike vows to make FCT unbearable for bandits and kidnappers to operate

The Minister, a former Rivers State Governor, made this known during a town hall meeting with residents of Bwari Area Council of the FCT on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

Wike convened the meeting as part of the response to increasing reports of kidnapping incidents and killings in the capital.

Speaking at the town hall, the Minister said President Bola Tinubu had instructed him to provide the security agencies with everything they needed to combat the menace, stressing that it would no longer be business as usual for the criminals.

“Security is one of the key priorities of Mr. President’s administration. Yesterday, Mr President summoned a high-level security meeting, which includes all the Service Chiefs, the Minister of Defence, and my humble self, because of recent attacks, particularly in Bwari. And so, currently, it is one of the key priorities, that Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda will want to face squarely.

“It is no longer going to be business as usual. Everything has to be done to protect lives and property. Without protection of lives and property, then we have no business in government. My coming here today is to assure you that we are very serious. All those criminals, bandits, enough is enough.

"We will do everything in our power to make sure that we will not allow this to happen again. That is why just this morning, 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 that they are not equipped; we will provide everything required. I know how big Bwari is, I know that you have boundaries with three states: Niger State, Kaduna State and Nasarawa State. 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 said.

The FCT has become a hotbed for kidnapping for ransom in recent weeks. Gunmen invaded the Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutse-Alhaji Area of Abuja, kidnapping 10 residents and killing others, including a 13-year-old teenager, Folashade Ariyo.

Abductors also reportedly killed one Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who was kidnapped alongside her five sisters and 17 others in Bwari.