FCT, six states parley over banditry, kidnapping

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration and six states, under the aegis of G7, on Thursday held a security summit in Abuja on presenting a common response to the escalating insecurity in the country.

The FCT Police Commissioner and his counterparts from Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger States attended the G7 Security Summit held at the Nigeria Police Officers Mess.

Others at the parley included senior officers from the Army, Air Force, representatives of the Department of State Services from Kogi and Benue, as well as the Director Security Service, FCTA and FCT Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday, who is the Chairman of the G7 Technical Committee, said the meeting was to address kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling and other criminality.

He said what affected the FCT affected the rest of Nigeria, while stressing the importance of collaboration among all the sister agencies to criminality.

The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who addressed the Summit, described the tempo of insecurity gripping the country as hydra-headed and unprecedented.

He noted that Abuja is the gateway to the nation and the symbol of unity to all ethnic groups. He warned any major security breach or criminal act in the city will be tantamount to gross embarrassment to the country.

Adesola tasked the security agencies to show common stake in protecting the FCT from being vulnerable to any act of criminality and attack as it is the seat of government and host to many foreign embassies and high commissions.

He said: “This meeting couldn’t have come at a better time than now, given the present insecurity challenges and criminality in our nation today.”

He urged the police commissioners and other security agencies to take the deliberations serious, save the states and the country from devastating insecurity.

The Director, Security Service, FCTA, Adamu Gwary, assured the attendees that the FCTA will do everything within its ambit to ensure safety in Abuja and its environs.

He said the G7 will forge a common front, particularly on cross border crimes and information sharing.

The FCT Commandant, NSCDC, Dr. Peter Maigari, said the meeting will focus on collaboration with other agencies through synergy building.

(THISDAY)