FCTA earmarks N500m for Community Policing, donates vehicles to security agencies
By Hudu Yakubu, Abuja
In order to ensure adequate protection of lives and property across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), authorities of the FCT Administration have earmarked the sum of N500,000,000 for the effective implementation of community policing initiative of the Federal Government.
The amount is targeted at providing the logistics support for the scheme, which has been fully embraced by the government and the communities in the entire 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, disclosed this during the FCT Security Committee meeting on Thursday in Gwarinpa I District, Abuja.
According to him, “the FCT Administration will make available the sum of N500 million for the implementation of the community policing initiative in the six Area Councils of the Territory”.
Bello said the Administration’s contribution to the scheme is in recognition of the importance the government attaches to the project, which if properly implemented, would curb all forms of criminality in the Territory.
The Minister, therefore, charged the Chairmen of the six Area Councils of the Territory to also contribute at least N100 million each to further boost the capability of the nation’s security Agencies in fighting crime.
Bello, who urged stakeholders in Abuja to ensure the sustainability of the community policing project, appealed to Traditional Rulers and Chairmen of the Councils to own the laudable strategy so as to compliment the efforts of the security agencies.
In his words: “This fund made available will strategically be used for the activities, training and payment of allowances to the volunteers of the community policing”.
The Minister emphasized that crime and criminality must be fought and flushed out from the nooks and crannies of the Federal Capital Territory; thereby, making Abuja safe.
He insisted that the task of making Abuja safer must be achieved; saying that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the Territory remains the pride of the nation.
Bello also reminded the stakeholders that security of lives and property is a collective responsibility of both the citizens and the government.
In a related development, the Minister, and members of the FCT Security Committee proceeded to the Abuja Eagle Square after the meeting to inaugurate the 60 operational vehicles donated to the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory by the FCT Administration.
The Minister at the occasion enjoined the security agencies to make judicious use of the vehicles in carrying out surveillance and other operational duties.
The vehicles, equipped with the state- of -the -art equipment, were distributed to the Security Agencies, 20 out of which, was given to the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force; 10 were allocated to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), FCT Command, while the remaining were given to the members of the Nigeria Armed Forces, Customs, Immigration, Correctional Services, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), among others.
According to the Minister, the vehicles are to be maintained by the Administration for a period of three years.
The Minister had at the event, urged the FCT Command of the NSCDC to concentrate on the protection of the public facilities in view of the monumental vandalization of public assets being perpetuated by unpatriotic citizens.
He insisted that government has invested so much in the provision of infrastructure in the Territory and would not allow them stolen by criminals.
Bello lamented that billions of naira is being lost to the activities of vandals and therefore, requested the NSCDC to immediately arrest the trend. He regretted that the stand alone solar powered streetlights just installed by the Administration in the Federal Capital City are being stolen.
The Minister reiterated that the NSCDC must focus on activities of the vandals and scavengers because it cost government huge sum to replace the stolen items.
