The National Association of Seadogs Pyrates Confraternity (NAS), Sahara Deck has raised the alarm over the rising wave of insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and its environs and called on the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to rise up to the challenge.

The group made the call on Sunday at a media briefing to draw attention to what it called ”the unprecedented wave of insecurity in the FCT”, saying that every citizen of the FCT and the country everywhere should enjoy peace, security and safety as much as they desire.

Addressing the press, the Capoon Sahara Deck, Abuja City Centre, Victor Ofili posited that those living in the FCT and other contiguous states like Kogi and Nasarwa should enjoy a greater feeling of security by reason of their proximity to the seat of power, and expressed regret that this hasn’t been the case in recent months.

His words: ”Nigerians are now getting accustomed to the routine of waking up to the gory tales of insecurity across the country and the FCT in particular. Top among these crimes include Armed Robbery; Kidnapping; One chance and rape.

”Kidnapping has been rampant in and around Kwali; Gwagwalada, Bwari, and Kuje Area Councils. The incident of one chance is also on the increase in and around the city centre, and the green taxis are also involved in this.”

To drive home the point, Ofili further listed out some of the kidnapping incidences that have been reported within the FCT this year as the shooting and forcing of a fully-loaded Toyota Previa bus off the Piri-Kwali road in Abuja by gunmen on 2 February; abduction of two sons of the Chief Imam of Abaji Central Mosque and one other person on 24 January; the sustained attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna high way from bandits who have abducted many and demanded ransom, leading to many commuters abandoning the road and making use of rail transportation and the confirmation by a report that 22 persons were killed in the FCT and 22 others kidnapped in the last one year.

He further listed the killing of as woman by two brothers at Gwagwalada on 4 June; abduction of an unspecified number of travellers along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway on 31 July by gunmen; the kidnapping of scores of residents of Tungan Maje village in FCT on 10 September and the recent attack of officials of the FRSC on 17 September, leading to the killing of two of them and abduction of 10 by gunmen on their way to Enugu among others.

While commending the security agencies for their efforts so far, the group made the following recommendations: that collaboration with FCT authorities should be intensified; provision of accessible toll-free and responsive helplines to reach the police and other security agencies in an emergency situation; continuous citizen awareness and security tips sharing; increase in intelligence gathering and sharing among security agencies and frequent security sweeps in identified crime-prone districts.

The group, however, urged the security agencies to redouble their efforts and ensure that Nigerians, irrespective of their location across the country continue to enjoy security of life and property.

As an advocacy organisation, the association said it is equally available to collaboration with the police and other security agencies to see that the security situation in the FCT and indeed, the country improve greatly.’ (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Vanguard)

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