The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has urged Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau Kogi, Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna States to protect the territory from being vulnerable to any act of criminality and attack.
The Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, made the call at the G7 Technical Security meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that G7 group comprises Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau States.
He said that the FCT, aside from being the seat of the Federal Government was equally playing host to foreign Embassies and High Commissions of many countries of the world.
According to him, the city of Abuja strategically is the gateway of the nation and the symbol of Unity to all tribes of the nations.
” Therefore, any major security breach or criminal act will be a gross embarrassment to the country, ” Adesola said.
The permanent secretary described the security challenges bedeviling the country as not only hydra –headed but also unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
He advised the security agencies at the meeting to take the deliberations seriously and save the states and the country from devastating tide of insecurity.
Adesola also urged governors of the G7 states to equip various security agencies to curb the incessant security challenges confronting the country.
“It is very instructive that we all come to terms with the ugly and horrifying security situation bedeviling the G7 States in particular and the nation at large.
” Bluntly speaking, we are faced and challenged with a situation that is not only hydra-headed but quite unprecedented in the history of our country.
“This meeting couldn’t have come at a better time than now, given the present insecurity challenges and criminality in our nation today.
“We should bear in mind that Abuja is the Nation’s Capital City and as such we all have a common stake to protect the FCT from being vulnerable to any act of criminality and attack.”
Earlier, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday, who was the chairman of the G7 Technical Committee, noted that “what affects the FCT affects the rest of Nigeria.”
Sunday emphasised the importance of collaboration with all the sister agencies to nip the criminalities in the bud.
“That is why we are meeting to strategize to address the challenges now that we banditry and cattle rustling and other criminality.”
Also, Director Security Service, FCTA, Adamu Gwary, assured the meeting that the FCT administration would do everything possible to ensure safety of Abuja and its environs.
“We want to come together to forge a common front particularly on cross border crimes. We want to have a common front on information sharing.”
Contributing, the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State, Adesina Shoyemi said the Nasarawa Police Command had put in place measures to prevent criminality in the state.
” The people who come to Abuja find out that they cannot cope and move to the suburb that is why we need to monitor properly.
” We are combing the nooks and crannies of the state and very soon all the criminals will be arrested.” (NAN)
