The Federal Capital Territory Administration said it has beefed up security on the fringes of its borders, to check the influx of bandits and other criminals in the territory.
This, the Department of Security Service, says is part of an ongoing security operation to suffocate criminals and bandits operating within the FCT.
Secretary, Command and Control Centre of the department, Dr. Peter Olumuji, while reacting to the recent security concerns in some parts of the FCT, noted that the mountainous terrain of the border communities was one of the major challenges in tackling insecurity in the areas.
According to him, vehicles could not ply those areas, and as such, security manpower will have to cover the area on foot.
To address the challenge, Olumuji, said that the FCTA was considering the use of technology, particularly drones, to improve security surveillance in the border communities.
“We have the Nigerian Air Force as part of the security network of FCT, so the FCT Administration will be relying on their capacity, technology wise particularly their use of drones.
“Operation Safe FCT was inaugurated by the FCT Minister made up of all security agencies including the Airforce.
“NAF has surveillance drones that we can leverage on, and the FCT Administration has gotten in touch with the NAF authorities to make those assets available for the security of FCT,” he said.
On the whole, the Secretary insisted that the capital city was relatively secured throughout the festive season following improved security operations.
He said this was evident with how residents thronged recreational parks and other centres to have fun during the Christmas and New Year celebration.
Olumuji, however, acknowledged that some attacks, particularly around Bwari Area Council’s axis, where a community was attacked but were repelled by the security in collaboration with vigilantes and hunters.
“Yes, there were pockets of attacks in one or two of the villages within the council, but the security agencies being complimented by the vigilantes and the hunters were able to repeal the attacks.
“On Jan. 3, the Police Commissioner, FCT Command, along with his tactical team paid a confidence building visit to the Bwari Area Councils and most communities experiencing kidnapping. The FCTA has also asked the police commissioner to deploy more manpower, vehicular assets, and tactical team to the area, which he has done. So Bwari is fully covered.
“Before now, people have been complaining about Kuje, Kwali, Jikwyoi, among others, but there was no reported incident in these areas within the festive period. This should tell you that security in FCT is improving on a daily basis,” he said.
He assured residents that the security agencies have up their game to suffocate all criminal elements operating within the city, particularly along border communities.
Olumuji stressed that current security challenges affecting the city were basically in the neighbouring communities of Niger, Kaduna, Kogi and Nasarawa states, where criminal elements come into the FCT, commit crime and go back.
He, therefore, called on the security chiefs of the G-7 security initiative, comprising FCT and its neighbouring states of Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau, to live up to their responsibilities.
