The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims of recurring banditry in Abuja, insisting that the city remains secure and that security agencies are effectively managing crime.
Speaking during an inspection of ongoing projects in the federal capital on Monday, Wike said, “I have always said, we only hear one incident but nobody has said we have been able to curb or reduce this. There is nowhere in this world, be it any developed country, where you will see there is no form of crime.”
He added that while incidents of crime, including kidnapping, occur, reports of banditry in the capital are exaggerated. “I don’t believe there is banditry in Abuja. But again, it is a city where people want to go and do all kinds of things, kidnapping, this and that,” he said.
Wike emphasized that security agencies deserve recognition for their efforts. “What’s important is what measures, how serious the security agencies take this. As far as I am concerned, they are really taking their work very seriously. And we need to give them the necessary support,” he stated.
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Residents of satellite towns around Abuja, including Kungaboku and Paze communities, continue to report criminal threats and occasional kidnappings. However, Wike stressed that these do not amount to banditry and praised troops and police for ongoing security operations.
“While kidnapping and minor crimes may happen, there is no recurrence of banditry. There is no banditry in Abuja,” Wike reiterated, calling on the public to cooperate with security agencies to maintain safety in the capital.
Authorities continue to monitor vulnerable areas, assuring residents that proactive measures are in place to prevent crime, while Wike encouraged citizens to support and commend the work of the security agencies maintaining law and order in the city.
The banditry in Abuja claim, according to the minister, is largely misreported, with the focus on isolated incidents rather than the overall security improvements achieved by the FCT administration.