The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed commitment to confront the menace of scavengers, cultism and drug abuse as part of strategies to ensure security of lives and property of the residents.
Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja said the minister made the disclosure at the regular FCT Security Committee meeting held on Tuesday.
Bello expressed concern that some of the scavengers who operate under the influence of hard drugs, perpetrate criminal activities within the territory.
” Each time there is crisis, you find that people of no known addresses, people without any means of livelihood suddenly come up with arms and start fighting each other and killing each other.
” All these are done under the influence of drugs and this is something that we are going to confront head-on.
” The scavengers hitherto concentrated their criminal activities on vandalising public utilities but had now become major threats to lives and property,” Bello said.
The minister, who reiterated that the activities of scavengers remained banned in the territory, also assured of improved working synergy within the intelligence community in the FCT.
Bello stated that the task of providing adequate security could not be left in the hand of police alone.
He also called for the support of the citizenry, especially in terms of providing intelligence to the security agencies.
“We need citizens’ support, especially in terms of intelligence dissemination and also for leaders at all levels, whether it’s at the ward level or at the city level or at the village level or at the area council level.
” Political leaders at all level, as well as traditional and religious leaders have to play their part and we need to communicate and also encourage citizens to be law abiding and also to provide needed intelligence.
” Doing that, I think by the grace of God, we will surmount and continue to make FCT a very safe place for everybody,” he said.
Bello revealed that security agencies regularly briefed the committee on their plans and strategies to end cases of kidnappings in communities outside the capital city.
He also said that efforts would continue to be made to encourage more cordial relationship between herders and farmers within the FCT to prevent possible clashes.
On her part, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu equally reassured residents of their safety.
Aliyu stated that the FCT administration was not unaware of the security challenges and currently taking steps to address them. (NAN)
