Insecurity in FCT: Wike blames council chairmen
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, has berated the area council chairmen for leaving their responsibilities when they are needed most.
The minister, who was addressing stakeholders at an emergency security meeting in his office on Tuesday, wondered why the council chairmen would be travelling out of the country even when their areas were facing challenges.
“This time around we will not be happy, where area council chairmen will leave their responsibilities and travel out. We have gotten reports that council chairmen travel anytime and then, if anything happens, they will not call anybody’s name except the FCT Minister.
“Recently, NUT embarked on strike and it is not our fault but that of the area councils. Primary schools are under the area councils but again, it will look as if the ministers are doing nothing but that is not our responsibility. However, we can’t fold our hands and we have invited them to this meeting to see how we can resolve the problem.
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“So council chairmen should know that they must live up to their responsibilities. It is not everything that happens, they would say that it is the ministers that have not taken steps.”
However, Wike assured residents that his administration and security agencies were not sleeping, urging them not to panic.
He said, “We are all aware of the security situation in the Federal Capital Territory, particularly Bwari and some other areas where we have witnessed security challenges. I am also aware that sometimes too, the press overblows what is happening, but indeed, we owe a duty to make sure that FCT is safe.
“We will do all we can, and we assure Nigerians who reside here that there is no need for panic. We are taking every step to make sure that those challenges are things that we must resolve.
“So, this meeting is practically to look into such challenges and see how we will be able to resolve the problems, and that is why we invited all the council chairmen because they also have a responsibility in their various area councils.
“We will put our heads together and come up with solutions. For the press, this is just for you to know that we are not sleeping, and security is also not sleeping. We will give every support that they require to take away the fears of the citizens or residents.”
Following the rising incidents of kidnappings and killings in the FCT, Wike summoned an emergency security meeting on Tuesday.