No fewer that 19 persons were on Thursday kidnapped in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.
This is coming just days after about 30 persons were also killed in a landslide caused by the activities of illegal miners in the Kuje Area Council of FCT.
These were made known on Thursday at a maiden meeting between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the six Area Council chairmen.
The Minister, who was surprised at the developments, said he would summon the FCT Director of State Security Services as well as the Commissioner of Police to receive adequate briefings on the kidnap incident and facilitate rescue operations.
Wike asked the council chairmen to set up a surveillance task force in their areas to monitor mining activities, adding that he would meet with his counterpart in Solid Minerals Ministry, Dele Alake, in order to eliminate illegal mining in the FCT.
Also, the Minister of State in the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, and the Permanent Secretary in the FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, expressed the willingness of the FCT Administration to continue to partner with the local councils to ensure even development of the Territory.
Speaking on the challenges confronting the Area Councils, the Kwali Area Council Chairman, Danladi Chiya, appealed to the Minister and the Minister of State to come to their aid.
“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 Bwari Area Council. I just received about five 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 do not even know. Your graveyards and worship centres would be allocated and we are saying that we should be carried along in terms of land allocation,” Chiya stated.
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