The Federal Capital Territory Administration has assured residents of the nation’s capital that they will be safe and secure during the upcoming Eid-El-Kabir celebrations (FCTA).
The Permanent Secretary, FCTA Mr Olusade Adesola, provided this assurance at the monthly FCT Security Committee meeting.
Patrol activities and intelligence operations will be expanded, according to Olusade, who presided over the meeting. These activities will be carried out separately and together by the various security organizations in the FCT.
The Permanent Secretary, while speaking on some of the meeting’s highlights and resolutions, stated that the security agencies had reiterated their resolve to work together as a family for the Territory’s security, and that this was largely responsible for the Territory’s peace and stability.
With the recent arrest of the leaders of a major “one-chance” gang responsible for many illicit acts in the FCT, he also revealed that security services had made achievements in the fight against organized crime.
Speaking on the on-going removal of shanties, squatter settlements and illegal residences along the airport road Olusade said the exercise which will extend to other illegal settlement across the FCT is intended to ensure that hoodlums that have hitherto dominated those environment will no longer have bases from which to operate.
The Permanent Secretary, “if you don’t have any legitimate business, you cannot use Abuja as your safe haven”.
The meeting, the Permanent Secretary said, also reviewed the public health issues of Cholera and Covid-19 and said the Committee was impressed with the efforts of the FCTA health authorities in tackling cholera and reminded residents that treatment for the disease is administered free based on the directives of the FCT Minister.
He urged residents to continue to follow the prescribed non-pharmaceutical intervention which include facial coverings, constant hand washing and physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Olusade also said that the issue of street begging and its security implications was also discussed and called on residents to desist from giving alms to beggars on the streets as this will only encourage an increase in the practice.
According to him; “We also discussed the issue of the proliferation of street beggars. We know it is indeed a rising social problem. But what we enjoin the citizens to do is to make their alms in a legal manner. Go to the hospitals, go to the places of worship, go to the orphanages and make your support there. This will be used for better purpose, because when you give a beggar you don’t know his antecedents as any alms given on the road, could be used for drugs or even arms.
He also called on residents to cooperate with security agencies and fellow citizens to safeguard lives and property in the FCT.
Similarly, the Commander, Defence Headquarters Garrison, Maj. Gen. Preye Fakrogha said a lot of emphasis was being placed on synergy amongst security agencies to enhance security operations in the FCT.
The FCT Security Committee is comprised of heads of the various military and paramilitary formations across the FCT, the heads of religious and traditional institutions, Area Council Chairman as well as heads of the relevant Departments and Agencies of the FCTA.
