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From Fred Itua, Abuja
Bandits facing firepower from security agents in some northern states are relocating to fringe towns of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
FCT Director in the administration’s Security Services Department, Abdul-lateef Bello, made the revelation, yesterday, when he briefed newsmen in Abuja.
The director, who confirmed that the security architecture of the territory is being overstretched, also revealed that plans had been concluded by the FCTA to hire vigilantes to provide security in the various public schools across the territory.
He, however, added that the measures were temporarily, until a blueprint on security is developed by the FCT administration.
He said: “We’re talking of short term measures when we said we are helping public schools to facilitate the procurement of vigilantes to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies.
“Remember that some of the vigilantes are equally part of the neighbourhood. They were sourced from the neighbourhood where those schools are situated. So, they know better.
“It is a way of establishing a relationship between the community and government. When the vigilantes see anything that is beyond them, they relate with the conventional security agencies to help out.
“Let’s liken security management to a football game. In a football game, nobody will ask the goalkeeper how many goals saved rather, what we want to know is how many goals were scored.
I can tell you that for every 15 or 20 crimes or criminals arrested, be assured that about 50 or 60 situations would have been saved or prevented.
“So, that is why I will always appeal to FCT residents to be patient with government, to listen and provide support, information when necessary because security agents or security agencies are not spirits. They are human organisations, they need the corporation, they need our information to be able to succeed.
“On whether or not we are finding it difficult to contain the incidents of kidnapping in the FCT, you’ll understand that kidnapping is prevalent not just in FCT. In fact, if you compare the statistics of kidnapping activities in other states to that of the FCT, you will agree with me that the FCT is really putting enough measures to prevent or contain the menace of kidnapping…”
