Despite recent incidents of killings, kidnappings, and growing insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that Abuja remains the safest city in Nigeria.
Wike made the assertion during a routine inspection of the ongoing Wuye District Infrastructure project and the Federal Highway 105, which connects the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Kuje township.
Addressing journalists during the tour, he assured residents of their safety and highlighted improvements in the capital’s security under his watch.
Responding to questions on the rise in criminal activities, Wike maintained that while occasional incidents occur, they are not reflective of the overall security situation in the city.
“If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city. The problem we have here is that when one incident happens, we forget that three months ago, nothing happened. You should give us and the security agencies credit that we are doing quite a lot to make Abuja safe, and Abuja has been safe,” he said.
The minister noted that isolated cases of crime tend to be sensationalised, thereby overshadowing the consistent efforts being made to secure the capital.
“We do agree that something may happen but that does not mean that Abuja is not safe… I don’t want us to take that to mean that the city is not safe. If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city,” Wike reiterated.
His comments come on the heels of two violent incidents reported in Abuja within 48 hours. On September 29, Arise News anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu was killed during a robbery in her estate in the Katampe area of the city. The events have triggered fresh concerns over public safety in the capital.
Wike, however, assured that his administration has put in place strategic programmes aimed at improving security and sustaining peace in the FCT.
