Some kidnap incidents in FCT were staged-managed - Wike

The Federal Capital Territory Minister (FCT) Nyesom Wike has revealed that most reported cases of kidnapping in the nation's capital were stage-managed by people.

The former Rivers State Governor said this after a closed-door session with senators at the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

The minister discussed with the lawmakers the state of security in FCT and measures being put in place to address it.

He also stated that the security situation of the FCT has experienced a remarkable improvement after the hordes of incidents recorded early in the year.

Wike stressed that there has been a reduction in crime and criminalities in the FCT, adding that two of the most wanted kidnappers in the territory have also been arrested.

However, the minister said though the FCT is yet to be where it wants to be in terms of security, there has been marked improvement, as attested to by the lawmakers.

“Even the Senators agreed that security has quite improved in the FCT. There is no part of this world where criminality has been eradicated completely.

“What we are trying to say is being able to limit or reduce the level of insecurity. But if anybody tells you that as a society is concerned, you will not have one form of criminality, that is not correct and we must have to tell ourselves the truth,” he said.

Wike further stated that the kidnapping incidents in the FCT were sometimes stage-managed by some unscrupulous people, but assured that security agencies would continue to ensure that kidnapped victims were released.

“The kidnappings you hear, sometimes, are stage-managed by people. There are some internal arrangements.

“Take, for example, you have a housekeeper in the house, you have a driver who will plot to kidnap the child of their master.

“In that case, what do you want us to do? All we can do is to see how the person that has been kidnapped is released,” The FCT minister said.

Explaining further, he said, “But to stop crime of that nature will be difficult because it’s an in-house arrangement, where a driver that is involved in bringing a child from school will mastermind kidnapping of the child.”