The Senate on Wednesday summoned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and its Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, to an interactive session over the rising cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities in the territory.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said Messers Wike and Igweh will appear before the lawmakers in a closed-door session to find a lasting solution to insecurity challenges in the federal capital territory.
The summon is coming barely two weeks after the lawmakers expressed satisfaction with how service chiefs have been managing the security situation in the country.
Specifically, the Senate said it was impressed with the determination and focus of the service chiefs in addressing the situation.
At Wednesday’s plenary, the lawmakers expressed displeasure with the insecurity situation and criminal activities within the FCT.
The Senate President thereafter directed the Clerk of the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze, to communicate the summon to the FCT Minister and the police commissioner.
The upper chamber resolved to do so after a majority of the senators supported it through voice votes.
The resolution was a sequel to a motion sponsored by the Delta North senator, Ned Nwoko, whose aide, Chris Agidy, was kidnapped alongside 19 others in the Galadimawa area of Abuja last November.
Mr Nwoko, while presenting his motion, announced that the aide was murdered by his abductors after spending about four months in captivity.
The PDP senator urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to increase security surveillance within the FCT to forestall further occurrences.
He also advised the IGP to look into the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic locations on Abuja highways.
Many of the senators supported the motion during the debate.
In his remarks, Mr Akpabio expressed sadness on the death of the senator’s aide.
He said the challenges of insecurity within Abuja and across the country must be solved.
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“The FCT Minister and Police Commissioner would appear before us in closed session on a date to be sent to them by the Clerk of the Senate.
“Their expected appearance before the Senate is to hear from them, measures and strategies being put in place to stem the ugly tide of kidnappings in FCT.
“Incidents like kidnapping and killing of SLA of Senator Nwoko and some residents of FCT, are worrisome and must be stopped not only in FCT but in Nigeria generally” Mr Akpabio said.
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