Wike Charges Security Agencies To Dislodge Criminals From Abandoned Structures

By: Ogbonnaya Maxwell & Patience Ande

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has directed the Security Agencies to go after criminal elements living in abandoned property.

The directive is aimed at creating an enabling environment for the residents of FCT by deterring criminal activities in the nation’s capital.

Speaking with Newsmen in Abuja, the Director, Department of Security Services, FCT Administration, Mr. Adamu Gwary, explained that the measure was to curb the menace of miscreants, vandalising government’s assets and infrastructure.

Gwary disclosed that the FCT Security Committee had identified uncompleted structures, abandoned plots of land and buildings as some of the hibernating points for miscreants.

His words: “So, the FCT Commissioner of Police has been mandated to work with his colleagues to form a Task Team to that effect. In the next two to three weeks, there would be strategic efforts to clear all criminal hideouts in FCT and other locations used to unleash their mayhem.”

According to him, all uncompleted buildings, abandoned plots of land and structures would be identified and cleared; adding that measures will ensure that criminal elements do not have a hiding place where they can organize to unleash their mayhem on the residents.

Speaking on undeveloped lands, Gwary said that the FCTA Land Department was currently conducting a census of all undeveloped lands in the FCT as instructed by the Minister; adding that Wike had directed owners of undeveloped plots of lands to develop their lands or the allocation would be revoked.

He said that the measure, if implemented, would significantly address security concerns relating to undeveloped plots of land, growing bushes and serving as hideouts for criminals.

He added: “so, the Lands and other related Departments are working assiduously on undeveloped plots of land that are causing security problems for us.”

The director also revealed that the Minister has directed the acting Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), to take over all under bridges in the FCT; hinting that the idea is to deny miscreants access to such locations, where they used as their hideouts.

Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, revealed in a statement that the effort was to combat criminal activities and protect public and private infrastructure in the Territory.