The security situation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja has been reviewed ahead of the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections to avert eruption of violence.
This is just as violent clashes erupted last Saturday between supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Dei Dei Market, Abuja where 10 vehicles were burnt with scores injured.
The security situation was reviewed at the meeting of the FCT Security Committee in Abuja attended by all security agencies in the Territory, the 17 graded Chiefs in the FCT, Chairman, FCT Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Chief Imam of the FCT, Secretaries of Mandate Secretariats as well as the six Area Council Chairmen.
Muhammad Bello, FCT Minister in his remarks at the meeting said the FCT Administration will continue to collaborate with the various security agencies and other stakeholders in the territory to improve the overall security situation in the Nigeria’s capital city to ensure a peaceful, free and fair elections.
Bello commended security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and indeed all residents of the FCT for their commitment to peaceful elections as demonstrated so far in the conduct of their affairs, expressing the hope that at the end of it all, there will be cause for celebrations.
“As you know this is not the first election being held in the FCT. FCT has a history of holding very peaceful elections and we don’t expect this one to be any different. We expect this one to be very peaceful and we encourage all registered voters within the FCT to come out enmasse to cast their votes”, he said
On the Saturday incidence in Deidei, Bello said a high-powered meeting of stakeholders meeting will be held on the issue and the outcome will be made known by Thursday.
While lamenting the breakdown of law and order around the Dei Dei Market that led to the destruction of properties as well as injuries to some persons, the Minister, however, directed the Area Council Chairmen, traditional rulers and other religious bodies to work together in their various domains in order to forestall a re-occurrence.
Bala Ciroma, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command assured that adequate measures have been taken to ensure the security of lives and property in the FCT, before, during and after the general elections, adding that investigations were on-going on the recent Deidei incident.
Ciroma promised that security presence will be heightened in all the Area Councils, including the satellite towns and other areas where cases of kidnappings have been recorded.
