The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, heads of all the security agencies over deteriorating insecurity in the nation’s capital.
The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion on the urgent need to curb the deteriorating insecurity in FCT moved at the plenary on Wednesday by Hon. Dominic Okafor.
Presenting the motion, the lawmaker said FCT is and remains the seat of the federal government from where national policies are formulated, adding that headquarters of federal government agencies are domiciled, while International edifices are located, and majority of foreigners and visitors are resident.
Okafor said that the government of Nasarawa State has announced plans to install security cameras across their state to curb the distressing security challenges in the state which ought to be replicated in Abuja, being the centre of the nation.
He expressed worry that the level of insecurity ravaging the Centre of Unity in recent times, was to say the least, very disappointing and unbefitting of a Federal Capital City, where there are escalating cases of “one chance”, armed robberies, banditry and rampant kidnappings and killings.
Okafor expressed concern that the last administration, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy compulsorily registered and linked National Identification Numbers (NIN) with Telephone Numbers of Nigerians and further linked same with various bank accounts with the main purpose of curbing the rising spate of insecurity in the Country.
“Disturbed that since the Compulsory registration and linking of the National Identification Numbers (NIN) by the federal government, there has never been a time it was deployed to tackle or address the pressing and scary state of insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory or the Nation at large.”
The lawmaker lamented that since the criminal elements in and around the FCT are speedily evolving from the norm to advanced techniques of criminality, the security agencies of government ought to urgently move to digitalise their operations to return the FCT to its safest haven in the country with the use of drones, Closed- Circuit Television (CCTV) and other modern sophisticated security gadgets.
The House resolved: “Invite the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the National Security Adviser, and heads of all security agencies for an emergency security briefing and strategy.
“Mandate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to install Security Cameras around the FCT and its environs. Also, to install other security gadgets and equip security personnel with modern security equipment to combat the rising and frightening insecurity within the Territory and its environs including the use of drones.”
The House also mandated heads of all security agencies to urgently collaborate among themselves, train and set up special units within their formations to track and clamp down on the criminal elements within and around the Territory.
It further mandated the security agencies to immediately commence the use of the registered National Identification Numbers (NIN) in their technology to trace and curb insecurity across the country.