By Stanley Onyekwere
As part of strategic measures to boost security in the nation’s capital, the FCT Administration at the weekend launched a special “Operation Sweep Abuja”, to halt the prevailing escalating security challenges.
This was against the backdrop of the alleged kidnap of 19 persons from one of the rural settlements, in the Bwari Area Council, of the Territory.
Also, it could be recall last week, the Chairmen of the FCT six Area Councils met with FCT Ministers and decried the seemingly escalating criminality and other security concerns .
However, launching the Operation the weekend, FCT Police Commissioner, CP Haruna Garba, who addressed a combined team of the Police, Military, Department of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other paramilitary agencies, said that reports of crime within Abuja were becoming too worrisome.
He said: “this operation was put together by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The process will affect hawkers, illegal motor park operators and miscreants who go about doing trading in the city centre are the ones we want to sweep out of Abuja.
” Even scavengers are to be arrested nit just to sweep them out. Kidnapping is also part of your mandate. You need to watch out.”
Similarly, Commander Guards Brigade, Kunle Onasanya who reiterated that security issues have remained a serious concern to security agencies in FCT for some time now.
“In the recent past even as we speak now, there has been an increase in crime rate within Abuja. We cannot fold our hands and watch while all these happen in FCT.
” Ensure you maintain the maximum standard of discipline. In the course of your operations, areas will be earmarked for raid. Illegal parks and those taking drugs at various places will be cleared. The message is that there will no longer be criminals in the city.
” Your operations will not just be restricted within the city centre, but all the Area Council,” he stressed.
