Kingsley Nwezeh, Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Mohammed Musa Bello, has summoned an emergency meeting of the FCT Security Committee on how to strategise to contain the escalating banditry, kidnapping and robbery on the fringes of the seat of power, Abuja.
The meeting held on Friday also had in attendance the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijani-Aliyu, and all the heads of security agencies in the FCT.
This is as unknown gunmen had killed the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja, Mr Adamu Aliyu and four others.
Also, several persons have been feared killed as gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked Kukawa, Gyanbahu, Dungur, and Keram communities of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday afternoon.
However, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Security, Ambassador Habu Habu Saliu Mohammed and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Babaji Sunday, briefed the media after the meeting.
Sunday said the emergency meeting raised a lot of concerns about kidnapping and banditry in FCT suburbs, adding that the security agencies also resolved to do their best to ensure the incidents were brought to the barest minimum.
He added that the all the security chiefs would again meet in his office today to further strategise on what were discussed at the emergency meeting.
“We have deliberated a lot and have already put in measures, which are not good to air to the criminals as it will be to their advantage. But we have resolved among all the security agencies that we are going to do our best and ensure all those things are brought to the barest minimum.
“At the same time, we are going to improve our synergy – all of us the security agencies – and as we speak, we are going to meet in my office on Monday to further strategise on what we have discussed here.
“We have assured the house headed by the Honorable Minister and Honorable Minister of State, who were both in attendance, that they will see changes. We are also appealing to the residents of FCT to also see reasons and understand that by the grace of God, we will be on top of the situations,” Sunday said.
He, however, advised FCT residents to be security conscious and provide security agencies with actionable intelligence on criminal activities. He also tasked the residents to form small neighbourhood watch within each estate made up people of good character, to curb criminality, considering that the number of policemen are inadequate nationwide.
“We also work with local vigilantes to improve community security. We work with them hand-in-hand. They know the terrain. Anytime we have security issues, it is the local vigilante that we rely upon, both in terms of intelligence and knowing the terrain. But they are always profiled and work in synergy with the divisional police of that area.”
That, nonetheless, unknown gunmen struck again and killed Aliyu and four others, near Daku village in Dobi ward of the council.
It was also gathered that three persons were abducted while three others sustained gunshot wound.
MACBAN Secretary, Mohammed Usman, who confirmed the incident, said the late MACBAN chairman and six others were returning from Izom Market in Niger State, when they were attacked by gunmen.
He said the bandits’ gun shots shattered the windscreen of the truck conveying the late MACBAN chairman and some passengers.
According to Usman, Aliyu and four others including Saleh, Aliyu, Muhammadu and Saidu, had been buried according to Islamic rites.
“The incident happened last Thursday, around 5pm, when the late MACBAN chairman and others were returning from Izo Market in Niger State in a Dyna truck when the bandits suddenly emerged from the bush and opened fire on the truck”.
When contacted, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Josephine Adeh, denied knowledge of the incident.
In another development, the attacks on Plateau communities, including Kukawa, Gyanbahu, Dungur, and Keram area of Kanam Local Government yesterday afternoon, left in its wake, deaths and ruins.
A resident of Kukawa community, Mr Adam Musa, who narrowly escaped the attacks, said several persons have been killed and others badly injured in the attacks that lasted for over one hour without security intervention.
Musa said the injured had been evacuated to the hospital as the villagers still expected the arrival of security personnel, adding also that some of the villagers had fled their homes to safety, while others were in search for their missing relatives.
Narrating the incident, Musa said the gunmen invaded the villages separately at about 1.pm,when the residents were going about their activities and started shooting at them randomly, setting their homes on fire.
Spokesman of the state Police Command, Mr. Ubah Gabriel, when contacted said he would get back to THISDAY after getting details on the attacks.
Relatedly, city of Jos has been enveloped in palpable fears of attacks on Jos prison.
There were security reports that bandits planned to attack the correctional centre like they did last year, to free their members that were currently held there.
To this end, security personnel have been deployed to strategic spots around the prison and city, while most residents have chosen to remain indoors to avoid being caught in the possible crossfire.
