Wike directs formation of vigilance groups, police urge calm amid explosion in Maitama

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The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesome Wike, has directed the formation of vigilance groups to combat growing terrorism in Abuja.

This was coming as FCT Police Command urged citizens not to panic, assuring that an explosion was caused an over-heated refuse bin.

The minister said the six Area Council chairmen in the territory to set up vigilance groups and also ensure the immediate profiling of members of the groups.

Wike gave the order on Wednesday while speaking during a strategic security meeting with members of the FCT Council of Chiefs and the Area Council chairmen.

He said that the FCT Administration would continue to work with the traditional rulers in ensuring foolproof security for the nation’s capital city.

“We have asked all the Area Councils to set up vigilance teams and we believe that those vigilance teams won’t be the ones perpetrating the crimes. Therefore, they must be profiled so that they are known.

“Who are they? Are they from our communities? So that we won’t say we want to solve a problem and then cause another one. They (chairmen) will have to do that with you (traditional rulers).

“We have told the Police and other security agencies to itemise all their needs and we are going to meet them so that our people can sleep comfortably with their eyes closed,” he said.

The minister said that they thought that there was a need to meet with the traditional rulers and the Area Council chairmen so that they could work in synergy and be on the same page regarding the security situation in the FCT.

“If there are things you think we should do too, we are willing to partner with you so that the challenges we are facing now will be a thing of the past. You must work hard because insecurity is not written on anybody’s face. Anyone can be a victim and that is why we must do everything possible to ensure that our subjects are not victims of these criminals.

“We are not folding our hands, we are not sleeping. We are working 24 hours round the clock. Again, you would have heard that we are demolishing shanties. You know criminals won’t want to live in known houses.

“They commit crimes and run to shanties that can’t be easily traced. So, we will continue to demolish shanties. You need to support us. You don’t allow people to bring propaganda. There is nothing like that,” Wike stated.

The minister also reiterated his resolve to roll out buses in order to reduce the incidences of ‘one chance’ or taxi robberies in FCT.

“Very soon we are going to roll out our buses which will be painted in Abuja colours and we won’t allow taxis that are not painted in our colours to operate so that this issue of ‘one chance’ can be eliminated,” he reiterated.

He said before President Bola Tinubu departed for France on Wednesday, he had asked him to inform the traditional rulers that the government was doing all within its powers to secure the nation.

“We sincerely thank all of you for your concerns and efforts. Before Mr President departed this afternoon, he said I should inform you that the government is doing all within its powers to curb insecurity. Already, the government has shown strength. It has shown courage in fighting insecurity across the country.

“This is the FCT where many Nigerians want to come and stay and so we are more concerned because when the capital is threatened, the whole country is threatened. So, we are very serious with security. We are not sleeping. We are working 24 hours.

“We have met with the councils and we have told them the little we need, which is information, to be able to help security agencies that are directly involved in the fight against criminalities. Nobody would say there is anywhere in this world, no matter how developed, that has no form of insecurity or the other.

“The only difference is that it is either nipped in the bud or you are sure that if it happens, the criminals are caught. But that is not an excuse for us. We are ready to ensure it doesn’t happen or when it happens, the perpetrators are arrested and made to face the wrath of the law,” he said.

On the explosion in Abuja, Spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said: “The FCT Police Command, hereby, wishes to update the public on an alleged explosion on January 24, 2024, about 11.45p.m., near a refuse dump outside the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) premises in Maitama, Abuja.

“A rapid response team and members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit was deployed to assess the situation, and preliminary findings indicate than an overheated metal refuse container activated under intense heat, exploded, \causing injury to two of the refuse evacuators, who are receiving medical attention in Maitama General Hospital.”

Consequently, the command urged members of the public to refrain from using metal refuse bins. “Instead, we recommend the use of plastic or rubber containers for waste disposal, as they pose a reduced risk of incidents related to overheated metal refuse container,” she added.