•Police launch school protection squad
As the upsurge in kidnapping and killing in Abuja continues, residents have expressed worry over the horrid situation. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports that relevant authorities, especially the police, are evolving strategies to curb the menace.
The upsurge of kidnappings and killings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially among the young ones, is beginning to agitate the minds of residents. This year did not begin on a pleasant note for most residents of the FCT and its environs.
This is due to the disturbing spate of kidnappings which began last year and snowballed into this year.
No doubt the reality sent shockwaves through FCT communities and fueled widespread anxiety among residents.
The FCT continues to reel from this relentless surge in kidnappings.
Residents of Abuja and its environs are confronted daily with a harrowing reality of insecurity, prompting urgent calls for action from security operatives, stakeholders and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA),
In recent weeks, the FCT has experienced an uptick in the rate of kidnappings and thefts, including “one chance,” a type of robbery in which unsuspecting passengers are lured into commercial vehicles and dispossessed of their belongings.
A civil servant in Bwari, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence said his three children and wife were kidnapped three months ago and have been paying ransom to secure their freedom.
After months of pain and agony, the kidnappers, last week, released the three children to their father, still holding on to their mother.
When the father asked that the kidnappers release his wife, the abductors reportedly told him to pay another round of ransom to secure her release.
The man told our correspondent that his children lamented how they slept in the bush.
The children, their father said, urged him to do everything possible to rescue their mother before it was too late.
According to him, the kidnappers are still communicating with him on more monetary demands and they have warned him never to involve security operatives. The children, he said, are still in shock over the incident.
Two weeks ago, a member of staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) was reportedly stabbed to death by suspected phone snatchers in the Central Business District of the FCT.
The incident occurred at night near the popular Sahad Stores Supermarket by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Junction, Central Business Area of Abuja.
The victim, identified as Yahuza Sani, a driver with the NTA News24, was said to have been stabbed several times while on his way back to the office around 9:00 p.m.
“The unfortunate incident happened when the victim ferried a staff member home after closing work for the day,” a source said.
“On his way back to the office, he parked the vehicle around Sahad Stores–being a safer zone to fix some technical fault in the car.
“As he alighted from the vehicle, the criminals pounced on him, dragged him into a nearby bush and stabbed him to death. They took away his phone and left him in his pool of blood, with the car’s key intact.”
The source added that the late Yahuza was a contract staff with the NTA News24 for almost four years.
The deceased, a 38-year-old father of three was said to be from Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State and lived in Keffi in Nasarawa State. His remains were buried at Gudu Cemetery, Apo District in Abuja.
Also, last week, a 10-year-old boy, Kingsley Anwulike Ifeanyi who was declared missing by the FCT Police Command on August 17, 2024, was found.
Ifeanyi was reunited with his uncle Mr. Chisom Anwulike on Monday.
A statement issued by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josphine Adeh said: “RE: MISSING/FOUND CHILD-FCT POLICE REUNITES MISSING CHILD, KINGSLEY ANWULIKE WITH FAMILY.
“The FCT Police Command wishes to inform the general public that the 10-year-old boy, KINGSLEY ANWULIKE IFEANYI who was declared missing by the Command on 17/08/2024 has been found.
“Subsequently, he was reunited with his uncle, Mr CHISOM ANWULIKE on 26/08/2024 at the Command Headquarters.
“We wish to appreciate the media and other well-meaning members of the public for their support in locating the boy’s family.”
One cannot easily forget the kidnap of Najeebah and her sisters that came to the limelight when the family cried out for help to crowd-fund a ransom of N60 million.
They had been kidnapped in their home on January 9, 2024, alongside their father after their uncle was killed. The bandits released their father and demanded that he raise N60 million as payment before Friday, January 12, 2024, to secure his daughters’ freedom.
Nigerians were asked to donate whatever they had into a bank account to raise the ransom, but not enough was gathered.
After a week in captivity, the death of the eldest sister, and an increase of the ransom to 100 million, Nigerians expressed their anger towards the lackadaisical attitude of the government and security operatives towards the situation.
A former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isah Pantami came under heavy criticism for aiding the ransom payment after the compulsory linkage of phone numbers with National Identity Number (NIN) during his tenure as minister which he claimed would solve insecurity in the country.
The six girls were released on Saturday, January 20, 2024. But like other insecurity cases in the country, it wasn’t the last in the FCT and its environs, as the following weeks witnessed at least three different kidnap cases and ransom crowd-funding increased.
Over 23 residents in Dei-Dei Community located off Kubwa-Zuba Expressway were abducted, mostly taken from three housing estates in the area. Similarly, barely 48 hours after the kidnappers’ attack on Dei-Dei, two children, alongside nine adults, were also whisked away at Gbaupe Village, behind Aco Estate, along Airport Road in Abuja.
Some weeks later, the FCT Police Command orchestrated the arrest of Chinaza Philips, a popular kidnapper in Abuja. The FCT Minister Nyesom Wike also announced a cash prize for whoever finds the kidnappers which prompted the police force to make more arrests.
While some security experts think that this approach would make the citizens assist in the search of kidnapped victims and employ caution in the neighbourhood, others think that this approach would only make individuals fake kidnaps when they know there is a bounty involved among other security concerns.
A security expert, Kunle Adele said: “The FCT like every other state needs a Central Tech-hub that monitors the environments with the help of cameras, cam-coders, a central forensic laboratory with forensic that aids investigation of cases.”
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh told our correspondent that the police are not resting on their oars and that many suspects of the crimes have been arrested and are charged to court.
While expressing his sadness over the incidents Igweh said the police will continue to tackle the menace without fear or favour.
To avert attacks on public and private schools in the six area councils following the sad development, the FCT Police Command, a week ago, ahead of school resumption, launched School-Protection Squad.
With the theme “Strengthening Security Resilience and Integration of Host Communities in the Protection of Education,” the FCT Commissioner of Police, Igweh reassured the residents of police readiness to protect students and make schools in the FCT safe.
He said: “Security and safety of students and teachers have gained significant attention from the government at all levels because of incessant attacks on schools which have created panic in the minds of teachers, students and parents. The act, thus, led to the closure of schools.
“The command has mapped out all schools in the Territory to ensure their adequate safety and protection, and the command has not recorded any attack on schools.”
He noted that the Command is committed to sustaining efforts towards the safety of the schools, especially in the rural areas.
The Federal Government, in its efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children, formally launched the Safe School Protection (SPS) programme in 2022.
At the event, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of operations, DIG Ede Ayuba said the Nigeria Police Force is ever committed to preventing attacks on schools across the country, hence the establishment of SPS by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun in all states of the federation and FCT to complement the efforts of the Federal Government’s desire to achieve a safer and secure school environment.
He said: “Today’s programme is a follow-up to similar events held in Kaduna and Niger states respectively from May 8–9 and 14 to 15, 2024 which witnessed massive participation, even as they were successful. I have no doubt that we will achieve more participation of relevant stakeholders in the FCT.
“The forum is, among other things, geared towards fostering effective partnership among the Nigeria Police, sister security agencies and other relevant stakeholders, in preventing attacks on schools. It is expected that at the end of it, participants, especially the host communities, will have a better understanding of their roles in safeguarding schools for a secure and effective learning environment for our children.
“The Federal Government makes it a top priority to protect schools through the Safe Schools project and secure learning environment for National development.
“In the same manner, the Nigeria Police Force embraced the project by establishing the Schools Protection Squad (SPS) in all the states of the federation and the FCT, as well as training of State Coordinators and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) nationwide. The Force is also undertaking a series of activities in line with Safe Schools’ national plan to guarantee a safer learning environment.
“The inclusion of critical stakeholders such as the host communities, community/religious leaders, youth organisations, CSOs, sister security agencies and the FCT Administration, is the realisation of the important role they play in safeguarding our schools and the reduction of out-of-school children in the FCT and the country at large.
“The police recognise the invaluable contributions of host communities in schools’ protection; hence the need for their support. I solicit your continuous support and cooperation, to effectively collaborate and prevent attacks on our schools. The two-day interactive and all-inclusive programme will ensure effective partnership for community resilience to protect our schools.”
The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, who was represented by the FCT Director of Security, Adamu Buba, said the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is ready to support the efforts of the police and all other security agencies to ensure that school environment in the capital territory will be safe and secure for a good learning environment.
Wike, who lauded the Inspector-General of Police for the establishment of the school protection squad said the DSS and other security agencies will work in harmony with the police in achieving the set goal.
Appreciating the programme, the FCT Mandate Secretary on Education, Danlami Ihayyo represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Prospect Chukwuemeka Ibe said: “In our quest to provide quality education, ensuring the safety of our students and educators remains paramount. Schools should be sanctuaries of learning, free from fear and threat. This initiative by the Nigeria Police Force, particularly the Schools Protection Squad, is commendable and reflects a proactive approach to our challenges.
“Your commitment to safeguard our educational institutions is invaluable. As we deliberate today, let us remember that the security of our schools cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires the collaboration of all stakeholders, The government, law enforcement agencies, community leaders, non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, development partners, parents and the students themselves.
“Together, we must build a resilient security framework that guarantees the safety and well-being of every child in our care. It is, indeed, a fundamental priority for us all,” he said.
The proprietors of private schools in the FCT were appreciative of the development and said it would boost the morale of pupils and teachers in the FCT in terms of security in schools.
Security has also been heightened in the FCT following the ugly incidents.
The police may be on red alert to provide tight security in the FCT; it will not be over statement to add that much more is needed to keep Abuja safe.
The criminals in the FCT are becoming audacious in their dealings, robbing, kidnappings and killings. This should be the tipping point for security agencies to be on top of their duty.
