By Bukola Olasanmi
Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city was conceptualized as a place that would represent to Nigerians as a symbol of our oneness and national unity and indeed, a home to all her citizens.
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The city used to be the safest city in Nigeria and this has never been debatable before the recent waves of insecurity crept in across the country.
Residents can attest and even boast about how safe and secure the city is. Abuja residents used to throw jabs and shades at residents of other cities and states but nobody dwelling or residing in Abuja can boldly talk about how safe the city is anymore.
Insecurity has taken over the city thereby making life so difficult for the residents.
The city is no longer safe, from the surburbs to the urban centres.
Kidnapping, car snatching, vandalism is now the order of the day in the city.
The city has never been as unsafe as it is today due, among others, to the influx of bandits and other criminals, lack of modern security infrastructures in the city centre and the satellite towns, and non-maintenance of available ones, including CCTV installations and as little as streetlights
There are concerns that the poor city management bedeviling the FCT is resulting in obvious disorderliness and widespread deterioration of the city.
The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Muhammad Bello, had once accused traders and beggars from neighbouring states of being behind the security breaches witnessed in the territory.
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Residents have had several encounters with ritualists and kidnappers, confirming fears that the once safe and well-protected nation’s capital is now porous.
The fear of abduction and ritual killings came to the fore recently after two men from Benue state were arrested with human skulls.
The suspected ritualists identified as Peter Ochigbo 42, and Samuel Bachu 35, hailed from Oturkpo local government area of Benue state.
The video which has since gone viral elicited panicking among residents of the city.
When contacted by QUEST TIMES, the FCT Command of the Nigerian Police Force however said there was no cause for alarm.
The Command spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh said with the recent mandates given to them by the FCT Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello, the security situation in the city will be a thing of the past.
She said car snatching that used to be a frequent phenomenon in the city has now reduced drastically.
Adeh urged residents with credible information that can assist in their operations not to hesitate in contacting the police force.
Thr Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Security, Habu Saliu Mohammed, speaking to QUEST TIMES said all hands are on deck to tackle all the various insecurity challenge in the city.
He said, “We have been deliberating a lot on the issue, its giving us a lot of headache measures are being put in place to tackle it headlong
“We have resolved among all the security agencies that we are going to do our best and ensure all those issues are brought to the barest minimum,” he said.