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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reaffirmed its commitment to ramp up security operations throughout 2026, even as residents urged authorities to tackle pressing needs like affordable housing, improved hospitals, and relentless action against crime during New Year crossover services.
This pledge came from Director of the FCTA Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, who inspected churches and key spots across Abuja in the early hours of Thursday. Represented by Peter Olumuji, Secretary of the Command and Control Centre, Gwary highlighted the role of the Operation Sweep Joint Task Force in curbing criminal activities.
“All the security agencies have promised the minister that they will sustain the gains recorded in the New Year,” Gwary said. “The focus is not only on the Yuletide season but all through 2026 and beyond. The FCT Commissioner of Police, who is the team leader, will in due time tell the world about the achievements so far recorded.”
Residents, seizing the festive moment, outlined bold expectations for the FCT to truly serve as a home for all Nigerians.
Vicar of St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Kubwa, Solomon Esomu, called for inclusive housing policies amid soaring living costs.
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“Let FCT be a place where people can live. I know we have a lot of accommodations in the FCT, but many people cannot live in those places. So we need an FCT where people can live in any of the places they want. The accommodation should be in such a way that people can pay. If we can have a low housing scheme for the people, it will also be good. Whether you are poor or rich, or average, we are all Nigerians. So we should also enjoy our country. If we have houses for the top rich people, we should also have houses for the middle people,” Esomu said.
Vice Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) FCT chapter and pastor at The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) Utako branch, Maxwell Gbinije, praised the FCTA’s efforts while pushing for citizen-focused reforms. “FCT Administration should keep on the good work, but also consider the people that they are leading,” he said, adding that despite national challenges, faith in divine intervention could usher in breakthroughs for 2026.
Pastor Mike Ayambode of the Assembly of Life parish, Redeemed Christian Church of God Region 45 in Kubwa, zeroed in on healthcare woes, citing frequent patient referrals due to bed shortages. “The hospitals should be better than they are now because you have situations where people are being rushed from one hospital to another and the stories that they tell them are the fact that they don’t have enough beds or enough bed space to receive them, as a result of which many people die. So if there is anything that we need to do, it is to make sure that in all of our hospitals and schools we improve the infrastructure and make it more available for the citizens,” Ayambode said.
Echoing insecurity concerns, Pastor Isaac Peter of ECWA Good News in PW Kubwa stressed persistence against kidnappings and “one-chance” operators plaguing the territory. “There are challenges of insecurity here and there, especially the one-chance disturbing people in the territory; the government should sustain the fight,” he said.
