By Aderogba George
Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), says it is working tirelessly to support all the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to flush out bandits, kidnappers and other criminals.
Its Chairman, Prof. Kailani Muhammad, said this at the inauguration of CJTF operational office in Abuja on Wednesday.
Muhammad said the CJTF supported the warning notice by the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, requesting criminals to move out of the FCT within three days.
CJTF chairman said, “We are supporting him (Wike) 100 per cent and we are working tirelessly to flush them out. This is Federal Capital Territory and it should be free from all these criminals.”
“Today, our farmers cannot farm because of insecurity. This has affected even the food production as bandits and other criminals don’t allow people to farm.
“That is why that apart from fuel subsidy, the hardship caused by food insecurity also makes Nigerians to cry out.”
He charged the CJTF personnel to continue to discharge their duties with honesty, sincerity and discipline, urging them to strengthen their partnership with security agencies, to bring peace, unity and stability to Nigeria.
He recalled that when CJTF was created 11 years ago, its concept was to bring peace, unity and stability to Nigeria.
“I think we have done our best so far. We have record where CJTF in collaboration with the Army, police and other security agencies arrested bandits throughout this country.
“CJTF have been going into forests and bushes without fear and arrested these criminals even with their cows. I think you have done a lot and you deserve commendation.”
The CJTF chairman said that more than 100 CJTF volunteers lost lives to a fight against insurgency, banditry in the country, describing it as sacrifice to promote peace, unity and stability in the country.
“I hope that one day, CJTF will be fully established with take home pay and the necessary equipment to work with so that Nigerians will sleep with their two eyes closed.”
In his remarks, CP Olatunji Disu, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, restated the command’s commitment to strengthen partnership with CJTF in arresting criminals in the FCT.
The CP, who was represented by the Apo Divisional Police Officer, CSP Usman Abini, said the command leveraged CJTF in its operation because of the CJTF’s closeness to the members of the public.
“The FCT Police Command has always engaged the Civilian Joint Task Force and Nigerian hunters in one operation or the other and they are always excelled and make us proud in carrying out our respective national assignments.
“The most important of all is the fact that CJTF are very close to the members of the public and for that closeness, we have always leveraged on that,” Disu said. (NAN)
