Tackling insecurity in FCT communities to boost food production
By Veronica Dariya, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has experienced a surge in cases of kidnappings, banditry and killings in the last two years, with the figures scaling up between December 2023 and February 2024.
Worst hit was Bwari Area Council where many were abducted around communities sharing borders with Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa states.
Specifically, the gunmen hit Tudun-Fulani Gaba, Kawu, Bmuko, Zuma, Guita, Chikakori in Kubwa, and Garam, near Niger among many others, where people taken.
One notable aspect of these communities is that the inhabitants are farmers Bwari and whose activities have earned Bwari the popular tag of the food basket of the FCT.
They produce mostly yam, grains such as maize, sorghum, vegetables, among others.
But with bandits constantly laying ambush and grabbing farmers in the farms, the farms are getting deserted, throwing up the fears of food shortages in the federal capital.
Investigation has also revealed that fear-stricken rural dwellers are migrating to the city centre in droves.
Mr Akuso Philip, a farmer, says the insecurity is disheartening and an unfortunate situation.
Philip regretted that government’s campaign for food sufficiency is being frustrated by the steady attacks on the farmers.
Philip, who resides in Baran-goni community in Bwari, says that if the security situation is not well tackled, food scarcity will set in.
“Most farmers in these communities have bigger farms in the remote areas where the lands are more fertile but, unfortunately, those areas are considered unsafe because of these criminals.
“Even the indigenous people in some of these communities have resolved to maintain only the farmlands close to their homes due to the fear of being attacked.
“This challenge may lead to farmers cultivating small portions of lands beside their homes, just for direct consumption, which is not good for commercial farmers.
“If the insecurity is not critically addressed, this can lead to food insufficiency or shortage and will definitely make food expensive for the common man to afford, like it has already begun.
“At some point, it may even drive away business opportunities and other entrepreneurs or organisations that may intend to bring development to the district or who are already on ground,’’ he says.
Philip, however, suggested that an increase in the security apparatus in the area could help salvage the situation.
He said that a robust presence of a joint task force in all nooks and cranny of the district, especially in the hinterlands, would go a long way to allay the fear of residents.
Following the outcry, the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, who visited the district after series of attacks in February, assured residents of government’s commitment to tackle insecurity.
The minister, who ordered the deployment of a large number security personnel to the district, said it had become necessary, based on intelligence reports from security agencies.
This, he stated, was to ensure the safety of residents, including private and public institutions located in the area, as the issue of security was a priority of the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Wike, while appearing before the Senate Committees on FCT and Area Councils to defend the N1.1 trillion budget of the FCTA for the 2024 fiscal year, requested the Senate to approve a security vote for the territory.
This, he explained, was to address the security challenges.
Wike said that there was a significant step towards bolstering security in the nation’s capital with the distribution of 100 motorcycles to security outfits and the six area councils in the territory.
The minister, at the handover ceremony of the vehicles, urged the recipients to utilise the vehicles effectively, to combat crime, particularly in rural areas, where people were vulnerable due to the remote terrains.
Each of the six area councils received 10 motorcycles allocated to their respective vigilante outfits.
The police got 30 motorcycles, while the State Security Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), received five each.
Wike said the distribution of the motorcycles was with the hope that the different outfits would use them to enhance security in the nation’s capital.
He said that series of engagements with the FCT Area Councils were essential in combating the insecurity.
The minister said the engagements were in collaboration with the FCT Police, which led to the arrest of notorious kidnappers, who were terrorising the nation’s capital.
He added that President Tinubu had directed series of security town hall meetings with the area councils, to enable the administration to get the cooperation of residents in the fight against insecurity.
He urged residents to provide timely intelligence reports that could help to nip the challenge in the bud.
Meanwhile, Mr John Awoyi, President, Bwari Youth Forum, hss said that there had been relative calmness in the area council since February.
“We have witnessed the presence of the joint task force in the council recently, easing the situation we have struggled with, since 2022.
“We have enjoyed peace for some time now. Bwari became a centre for insurgency towards the latter part of 2023, but this administration has stepped up to tackle it.
“I am privileged to attend most of the security meetings here in Bwari, alongside other stakeholders, so I can confidently ascertain that progress has been made and a lot achieved.
“President Tinubu, the Minister and all the Defence Joint Task Force, have done well so far in this council, I must say,” Awoyi said.
Similarly, Wike also promised improved security and more infrastructures to residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He gave the assurance while briefing newsmen after a closed-door session with Senators at the National Assembly, in Abuja.
The senate had invited the minister and the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, to brief the lawmakers on modalities put in place to secure residents of the FCT.
The minister said the interaction was fruitful, adding that the senators had agreed that security had significantly improved in the FCT.
“I am glad they are all happy with what we have done, what we are going to be doing and they provided some suggestions on ways forward.
“What is important is what the FCT should expect from now. I will say improved security, more infrastructures. You can see what is going on in the FCT. It has been turned into a construction site.
“You can also see what has happened in the FCTA. Now we have our own Civil Service Commission; now we have our own Permanent Secretaries which has never been.
“There are new things in the FCT, and the residents are happy,” Wike said.
He noted that no society exists without one form of crime or the other, adding that what was critical was being able to limit or reduce the level of insecurity.
On the spate of kidnappings, the minister said: “Most of the kidnapping stories you hear, some of them are stage-managed by people. There are some internal arrangements.
“Take for example; you have a housekeeper or a driver in the house who will plot to kidnap the child of their boss. In such a case, what do you expect us to do?
“What we can do is to ensure that the person that is kidnapped is released.”
The minister said the two most wanted kidnappers terrorising residents of the FCT had been arrested, adding that the development had reduced the level of kidnappings in Abuja.
“We are not saying that we have gotten to where we want to be, but we are doing a lot and people should acknowledge that what used to be is not what we are seeing now.
“We will continue to do our best to ensure that we provide the best to our people.
“We cannot, however, give you the assurance that there will be no form of criminality; nobody can do that, as long as we are humans,” the minister said.
