The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, invited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the service chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu over the declining state of security in the FCT.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Aguta Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Mr Dominic Okafor.
The lawmaker, while leading the debate, said that the FCT stressed the importance of the FCT as the nation’s seat of power, where national polices are formulated.
Apart from that, he noted that Abuja was host to the headquarters of many international organisations in the country.
The House, he said, was “very worried that the level of insecurity ravaging the Centre of Unity in recent times, is, to say the least, very disappointing and unbefitting of a Federal Capital City where there are escalating cases of ‘one chance,’ armed robberies, banditry and rampant kidnappings and killings”.
“The House is concerned that the last administration, through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, compulsorily registered and linked the National Identification Number with telephone numbers of Nigerians and further linked the same with various bank accounts with the main purpose of curbing the rising spate of insecurity in the country.
“The House is disturbed that since the compulsory registration and linking of the National Identification Numbers by the Federal Government, there has never been a time it was deployed to tackle or address the pressing and scary state of insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory or the nation at large.
“The House is further worried that since criminal elements in and around the Federal Capital Territory are speedily evolving from the norm to advanced techniques of criminality, the security agencies of government ought to urgently move to digitalise their operations to return the Federal Capital Territory to its safest haven in the country with the use of drones, Closed- Circuit Television and other modern sophisticated security gadgets.
“The House is cognizant that restructuring the nation economically and politically as is obtainable in most western economies is the next most appropriate step the Federal Government of Nigeria should take in a bit to address the teething economic, political and security concerns of Nigerians”.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House resolved to “invite the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the National Security Adviser, and heads of all security agencies for an emergency security briefing and strategy”.
It also mandated “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to install security cameras around the FCT and its environs. Also, to install other security gadgets and equip security personnel with modern security equipment to combat the rising and frightening insecurity within the territory and its environs including the use of drones”.
The House also mandated heads of all security agencies to “urgently collaborate among themselves, train and set up special units within their formations to track and clamp down on the criminal elements within and around the Territory”.
It further mandated the security agencies to immediately commence the use of the registered National Identification Numbers in their technology to trace and curb insecurity across the country”.
Meanwhile, the scheduled appearance of the service chiefs before the Senate on Wednesday was postponed due to the absence of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was also absent.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, were around.
Also in attendance were the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi.
The meeting was rescheduled to 13 February, while the Senate also extended its invitation to some other heads of security agencies.
