PRESS RELEASE:FCT MINISTER ASSURES RESIDENTS OF SECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTY

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has appealed to FCT residents to go about their lawful duties without any fear of molestation as the FCT has put all machinery in place to ensure security of lives and property in the Territory.  

The FCT Minister made this call while briefing the media after an emergency meeting of the FCT Security Committee which took place today in his  official residence.

His words, “The purpose of the meeting was to review the situation in the South East and its implication for the residents of the FCT as a Centre of Unity. We are properly briefed, and the whole idea is to ensure that FCT remains as peaceful as it has always been.  We also used to occasion to receive update on the situation of law and order in all the Area Councils and satellite towns. From all the reports we received FCT is peaceful.

“It is very clear that from what we read from the social media and some other electronic media, there are some people out there who clearly want to create trouble in this country. Obviously government would not allow this to happen and certainly, in the FCT, we would not allow that to happen. That is why I am calling on all residents to ignore any negative report they read on the social media platforms that tend towards disunity, disaffection and targeted clearly towards trying to create trouble.”

The Minister further said: “In the FCT, all the ethnic groups, religions and creeds are fully represented and live harmoniously. The laws of the land are very clear and anyone trying to foment trouble would be dealt with according to law. To this effect all the security agencies have been placed on heightened alert.”

Malam Bello appealed to all FCT residents, especially those from the South East to live peacefully, to carry on with their lawful businesses without any fear and to discountenance the antics of some people out there who clearly want to create trouble.”

He stressed, “The Administration will not shirk it responsibility for the protection of lives and property in the FCT” while enjoining all the traditional rulers and chairmen to cascade the outcome of the deliberations to the Area Councils and grassroots communities. He also harped on the necessity for all residents to be alert to the happenings around the neighbourhood as security is a collective responsibility.

He thanked the people of FCT for their peaceful and calm nature urging them to continue to remain law abiding.

The new FCT Commissioner of Police, Malam Abubakar Sadiq Bello announced that security agencies have put in measures to collaborate and work together to ensure peace and order as well as the exchange of intelligence in the Territory. He said this had already with the show of force conducted on Friday.

Similarly, he disclosed that arrangement are in place for both visibility policing and intelligence gathering and sharing with other sister agencies. “We are well prepared to stop any threat,” He assured.

In a message to Christians at the end of the meeting, the FCT Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Jonah Samson enjoined all Pastors and believers to preach and pursue peace and to ensure that we encourage people to live together in harmony. He charged all Christians to stay away from trouble and to pray for our nation, so that it would be a better place especially as we approach the independence anniversary celebration, adding that love is paramount.

Cosmas Uzodinma
CPS to FCT Minister