The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike has directed security agencies to monitor the influx of people that could pose security threats into the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the FCT Security Committee meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by the Minister, had in attendance, Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, Head of security agencies, and chairmen of the six area councils of the FCT.
CP Disu said that the Minister has “directed the security agencies to set up a committee to effectively monitor the influx of “Almajiris” and suspicious individuals into the territory.”
Amlajiris are children who leave their families to study Islam in Qur’anic schools, mostly in the northern part of the country.
He said that “the members of the committee would include all security operatives in the FCT, namely the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Navy, Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and all the chairmen of the six Area council.”
He explained that “the committee would work with the chairmen of the area councils to identify Almajiri schools where children were brought to learn.”
Disu said that the committee was also expected to profile the school owners and the content of the training.
The Commissioner said that “the committee would work with the owners of the school, particularly to find out from them what the government could do for them.”
The steps, according to him, “will ensure the safety of the children, the schools and the host communities.”
Disu explained that “the move was part of FCT Administration’s proactive measures in addressing security concerns in the territory.”
He said that the committee was giving two weeks to report back to the Minister.
Disu said that clearance operation was ongoing across the FCT, stressing that five persons, suspecting could post security threats in the territory have been arrested and were being investigated.
“Meanwhile, we want to enjoin all residents of the FCT to be security conscious and take note of any new person coming into their areas and report to appropriate authorities
“Everybody should be security conscious. Please let us profile people coming into our environment; we need to know them,” he said.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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