FCT news

Abuja Is Safe FCT Reiterates

Published

6 years ago

September 18, 2019

…Says Security Is The Responsibility Of All

… Over 100 One chance Suspects arrested-FCT Police Commissioner

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has once again reiterated that the Federal Capital Territory is safe and has called on FCT residents not to leave security matters to the law enforcement agencies alone.

He gave this assurance in a statement issued by the FCTA on Tuesday in Abuja Chief Press Secretary Anthony Ogunleye.

According to the statement, it is almost impossible for security agencies to be everywhere one hundred percent.

“So, every resident in a way is also a security officer. So, it is very important for residents to be vigilant to be very conscious of their personal security.

“If for instance, you see a vehicle without number plates, it means that vehicle is not registered and can be used for criminal activities, please report to the relevant authorities”.

The Minister said this after the meeting of the FCT Security Committee which comprises of the heads of the police, military and paramilitary formations in the FCT as well as Area Council Chairmen and religious leaders.

Mallam Bello said that in comparison to several cities around the world, FCT remains quite safe. While acknowledging that there were indeed two incidences of kidnappings over the past few weeks, the Minister said both victims have been rescued.

He called on residents to not be swayed by rumors or unverified news online but to confirm their veracity before circulating. Fake news or false security information has the capacity to lead to a breach of peace, he said.

On the issue of communal clashes, he commended the efforts of the Area Council Chairmen and traditional rulers in curbing the herders/farmers clashes and urged them to continue on the path of ensuring peace.

Malam Bello also assured residents that the FCTA will continue to partner and render support to the Nigerian Police, the military and paramilitary commands in the FCT that are charged with the task of keeping the city secure.

Also speaking, the FCT Minister of State Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu called for synergy between all security agencies in the task of combating crime and enforcing security measures in the FCT.

The FCT Commissioner of Police Bala Ciroma on his part said that there will be more deployment of officers and men across the city to combat crime. He revealed that they were also intensifying both vehicular and foot patrol to ensure more visibility of officers and men of the Force in the city. The raid of black spots he said, will be stepped up.

Mr. Ciroma echoed the opinion of the Hon. Minister when he said that community policing, which involved a robust collaboration between the police and the citizenry will be intensified. He said this method has succeeded in curbing criminality in the Area Councils, especially Abaji where information provided by the citizens stopped a kidnapping ring that operated between Kogi State and the FCT.

On the menace of “one Chance,” the police commissioner said that the criminals perpetrated their acts by using unregistered and unpainted taxis. He said that the police were collaborating with the FCT Directorate of Road Transport Services to apprehend the criminals. He also revealed that a unit within the CID was created specifically to combat one chance and so far, over one hundred suspected one chance perpetrators have been arrested and their vehicles confiscated.

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FCT news

FCT Cleaners Urge Minister Wike to Intervene Over Months of Unpaid Salaries

Published

4 weeks ago

May 13, 2025

The Gleamer

Over 4,500 cleaners working across Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including city cleaners, hospital sanitation workers, satellite town cleaners, and security personnel, have made a passionate appeal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the non-payment of their salaries for the past six to eight months.

The affected workers, who play a critical role in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene across the FCT, including hospitals and public spaces, expressed their deep frustration and hardship due to the prolonged delay in their payments.

Despite working tirelessly under harsh weather conditions to ensure that Abuja and its environs remain clean and habitable, they say their efforts have gone unrewarded.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja, the cleaners voiced their disappointment, describing the situation as dire and unsustainable.

Many of them are reportedly struggling to meet basic needs, including food, medical expenses, school fees, and loan repayments.

“We are using this medium to appeal to our amiable FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene and ensure our outstanding salaries are paid.

“We are going through untold hardship. We work day and night, even in dangerous and unhygienic conditions, yet we are not being paid.”

Another affected worker, who asked to remain anonymous, tearfully shared her experience: “We may be doing a ‘dirty job,’ but we do it with all our hearts. It is unfair that we are left unpaid. We are dying in silence—no food for our children, no money for healthcare. We beg the Honourable Minister to come to our aid.”

The cleaners, in their numbers, emphasized that their appeal was not just a demand but a desperate cry for help from workers who feel neglected despite their vital contributions to the FCT’s public health and cleanliness.

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