From Fred Itua, Abuja
The attack on Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja, by members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), splinter Boko Haram group last week, has heightened security and safety concerns among residents of fringe towns in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Daily Sun learnt that the attack, the first since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in May, 2015, has forced most residents, school proprietors and business owners to take proactive steps to boost safety.
Their fears are fuelled by the spate of kidnappings, in the last three years by bandits on the fringe towns of Abuja like Kuje, Kubwa, Gwagwalada Abaji and Bwari which preceded the Kuje prison attack. Also, the rise in the number of homeless labourers, unregistered motorcyclists and other unknown street urchins, have raised security fears among residents of these fringe towns.
Some residents told Daily Sun that terrorists have gained firm roots in many parts of the territory with coordinated assaults on soft targets and kidnappings for ransom. It was learnt that in Kubwa District for instance, Abuja’s biggest satellite town, mountains surrounding residential areas have become safe havens for criminals and terrorists.
In Arab Road, there have been repeated cases of abduction of residents by bandits, who break into their homes. The victims are usually held captive in the caves, until ransoms are paid by their family members. In Fo1, also in Kubwa, there has an astronomical rise in cases of attacks on residences and abduction of people by criminals, suspected to be terrorists.
The development has forced residents to form vigilance groups to safeguard their areas amid the high presence of new faces of petty traders and commercial motorcycles.
Unlike other volatile parts of the country, where commercial motorcyclists are totally barred from operating, the FCT Administration has allowed the business to fester with no guidelines on their modus operandi.
During odd hours, motorcyclists operate freely. Residents have repeatedly complained that over 80 per cent of kidnappings carried out around Abuja fringe towns are aided by motorcyclists.
In Kuje, especially, Pegi axis, residents have since resorted to self-help. They told Daily Sun that terrorists rule the forests surrounding the community. “Security agents seldom parade the area and ransoms are paid regularly to free kidnapped victims,” a resident who preferred not to be named said.
In Gwagwalada, the situation is the same. Many residents are complaining of the presence of strange faces and increased number of street urchins in the area.
According to them, kidnappings and other violent crimes, have since increased, with no possible end in sight.
In Bwari, which shares boundary with Niger State, terrorists also operate freely. Though Bwari houses key government institutions and private establishments, it is often considered as a major entry route into the FCT by terrorists who come in from Niger State.
Daily Sun gathered that school proprietors plan to halt daily bus shuttle services pending when security in the Territory is improved.
A school proprietor told Daily Sun that they were advised by top security agents that terrorists were plotting to launch coordinated attacks and possibly ambush and hijack school buses conveying children. The proprietor said her colleagues were making plans to halt the bus services when the new session commences in September.
She revealed the presence of large private and government security agents around many schools in Abuja, as part of moves to prevent any possible attack by bandits who are believed to be lurking around most parts of Abuja.
She said schools under the control of the FCT Administration, are the most vulnerable, given the absence of armed security agents to man them.
A proprietor of one of the leading schools in Kuje said management of the school has put in place measures to safeguard students.
According to him, parents of pupils in the school were apprehensive, but said he had assured them that adequate measures were already in place to forestall any unforeseen circumstances.
FCT officials, who spoke to Daily Sun, declined to speak on record, maintaining that they were not authorised to do so.
Director of the Department of Security Services in the FCTA, Mrs. Ebele Molokwu, didn’t respond to phone calls or text messages sent to her active mobile phone number as at the time of filing in this report.