Following the kidnap of at least 19 persons on Thursday at Bwari Area Council of Abuuja and the death of 30 persons in a landslide caused by activities of illegal miners in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike says he would summon Commissioner of Police the FCT Director of State Services.
Wike made this known during the maiden meeting between him and the six area council chairmen of the FCT.
The Minister who expressed worry over the level of insecurity in the nation’s capital said the duo would be invited to comprehensively brief him about the kidnap incident and facilitate rescue operations.
Similarly, Wike urged the council chairmen to set up a surveillance task force in their areas to monitor mining activities, Wike said he would meet with his counterpart in Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, to eliminate illegal mining in the FCT.
In his remark, the Kwali Area Council chairman, Danladi Chiya, who spoke on the challenges faced by the area councils appealed to the Wike and the Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, to come to their aid.
His words: “When we heard about your appointment, we were happy because you have been a Council Chairman and therefore, understand our challenges. Our challenges are inadequate funding of the local government system.
“We have the major challenge of insecurity across the six Area Councils. Just today (Thursday), about 19 people were kidnapped in the Bwari Area Council. I just received about five people in my council, who were in captivity for about six days.
“The next is the development of satellite towns. The issue of sanitation is one of the major challenges confronting us. There is also no efficient transport facility. The Abuja Urban Mass Transit buses are no longer functional.
“Then, there is the issue of land allocation. You sit in your council and your backyard will be allocated to someone you don’t even know. Graveyards and worship centres would be allocated and all we are saying is that we should be carried along in terms of land allocation.
“The responsibility of primary school teachers is on the local governments. The UBE’s payment of salaries lies on the council, which by law is supposed to be 60-40 per cent. We are pleading that you help us so that this issue can be looked into.”
In the same vein, Kuje Area Council Chairman, Abdullahi Sabo, also lamented the menace of illegal miners, saying, “There is the issue of illegal mining in the FCT. Indiscriminate mining licences are given out and this has led to insecurity. They give letters of consent to Chinese people.
“Just a few days ago, there was a landslide that took the lives of 30 people as a result of the activities of illegal miners. We appeal to you to engage the Minister of Mines to stop mining in the FCT.”
“On sanitation, we have a problem. Sanitation is a big issue. It is the duty of the council not just to collect the fees but to dispose of refuse. We have to sit down and work together on this by adopting a common template.”
In response, Wike said, “On illegal mining, I will talk to the minister. Ordinarily, I would say you should also form your own surveillance taskforce as Chief Security Officers of your councils and make arrests and we will support you. However, I will meet with the minister”