₦airaland Forum

The Hon. Minister of the FCT Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has received handover notes from the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, signaling a new chapter in the administration of the FCT.
Receiving the handover notes at the FCDA Conference Room in Abuja on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, Barrister Wike thanked the FCTA Permanent Secretary for taking the initiative to organize the handover ceremony and provide the Minister and Minister of State an opportunity to address FCTA workers.
During the event which was attended by senior management staff of the FCTA, the FCT Minister reiterated that the FCT Administration under his charge will focus on short, medium and long-term goals that will bring development in the FCT, in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On the short-term goals, the new FCT Minister restated that the issue of street lights, waste management, mass transportation and environmental sanitation would be given immediate attention.
In the medium and long term plans however, Wike said the FCT Administration will address the issue of proliferation of shanties, land racketeering, violation of the Abuja masterplan, infrastructure development, procurement issues among others.
He therefore charged senior officials of the FCT Administration to work hard and do their jobs effectively and efficiently, insisting that lapses will no longer be tolerated in the FCT.
The Minister equally charged the staff to always do the right thing at all times, saying leadership requires that decisions must be made in every situation even when it is inconvenient.
He said, “This job is not a likable job. It’s not a job that people will like you. It’s a job that people will hate you because you are doing the right thing. But at the end of the “day, they will come to love you”.
Speaking on infrastructure development, Barrister Wike stated that the FCT Administration will consider the availability of resources before embarking on any infrastructural project, adding that no project will be abandoned under his tenure as the FCT Minister.
He said, “I don’t do anything called abandoned project. I’m not a party to abandoned project. Any project that has no cash backing will not be awarded. There must be money and I know that money has been provided for this project. And I don’t do a project that will take me more than one year.
The FCT Minister however clarified the misconceptions that his administration’s deliverables were aimed at making life difficult for FCT residents, assuring that difficult decisions will only be made to improve the lot of Nigerians in the FCT.
Earlier in her remarks, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, congratulated the FCT Minister on his deserving appointment and also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assigning them the important portfolio as Ministers of the FCT.
Dr Mahmoud called for the maximum cooperation and loyalty of FCTA staff, saying that they must work according to the vision of the President to bring renewed hope in the FCT.
Also speaking, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola informed the FCT Ministers that the FCTA is home to a workforce of 40,000 skilled and dedicated professionals and pledged their loyalty and support for the new Administration.
He said, “let me assure you of the unflinching loyalty and dedication of our workforce. The men and women who tirelessly serve the FCTA are not merely employees; they are partners of our shared vision, ambassadors of progress and custodians of the dreams of our founding fathers.
“With their high sense of commitment and expertise, they are poised to stand by your side, ensuring the success of your tenure and the fulfilment of the aspirations we hold dear”.
The Permanent Secretary also disclosed some of the activities lined up for the Ministers in the coming days, including the flag-off of projects for the resurfacing of various roads in the Federal Capital City (FCC), distribution of palliatives to residents as well as the flag-off of the park and pay project in the FCC, amongst others.
ANTHONY OGUNLEYE
DIRECTOR OF PRESS
OFFICE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER
22/08/2023

PHOTO CAPTIONS

1. Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusdae Adesola (right) presenting the handover notes to the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike and Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud during the handover ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, 22nd August, 2022

2. FCTA Permanent Secretary Mr Olusdae Adesola in close discussions with the the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike during the handover ceremony held at the FCTA on Tuesday, 22nd August 2023

3 FCT Minister Barrister Nyesom Wike (8th right) flanked by the Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud (5th left) and the Permanent Secretary, FCTA (7th left) and other officials of the FCTA, following presentation of handover notes to the Minister by the Permanent Secretary on Tuesday, 22nd August, 2023.

Barrister Nyesom Wike and Dr. Mariya Mahmud today 21st August, 2023 assumed office as the 17th Minister and the 12th Minister of state of the Federal Capital Territory respectively shortly after their inauguration by Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the presidential villa Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Addressing the press in his office, Barrister Wike, who was welcomed by a mammoth crowd at the Area 11 office complex of the FCT Administration, pledged to make Abuja safe for all Nigerians, saying that he has the full support of Mr President to bring immediate solution to the challenges facing the nation’s capital.
The FCT Minister said: “The President has given us the marching order, we must bring FCT back to what it is supposed to be and we are willing and we have the capacity to do that. That is what we have come to tell members of the media. It is not going to be business as usual.”
The Minister continued: “So many people have complained that FCT has lost focus; so many people have complained that this is not the FCT they know, this is not the FCT of the founding fathers; it is not the FCT that they thought will compete with other cities of the world. And now is the time we must show that the Federl Capital Territory Abuja should be one of the cities that will compete with other cities of the world”.
The new Minister who solicited the support of the media, said as a matter of priority the four areas of security, sanitation, street lighting and revenue generation in the FCT Awould be the among the short-term deliverables as mandated by the President.
He said: “We cannot do it alone. We need the support of everybody, particularly the media. So, the first point we are doing today is to let the media know, this is what we want to do in the short time, this is what we want to do in the medium and long term. We cannot do everything within a short period. In terms of physical infrastructure, that will be a medium and long term. But there are things that are expected within the short term that we must do”.
He lamented the poor street lighting of the FCT, which he said contributed greatly to insecurity in the territory, calling on security agencies in the FCT to work with all stakeholders towards mitigating the threats posed by insecurity in the nation’s capital. Barr. Wike assured that the FCTA will provide all the necessary support for them to carry out their duties well.
“So, first of all, the issue of security must be tackled. We are ready to provide the necessary logistics for all the security agencies to do their work. This is not my first time of having meetings with security agencies. I’ve done that when I was Governor of a State. So, I know. I’m not going to be told. These are things we know. These are things we are doing because we know the problems.
He added: “We cannot go and identify the criminals. It is their duty. Our own duty is to provide them the necessary tools. And when I provide the necessary tools, I don’t want any excuses because you have requested for the tools you want to use to work and it has been provided. So, what we want is result. We can no longer tolerate a situation where by people turn random places to market and motor parks and in the process breeding criminals and criminalities”.
On the issue of sanitation, the Minister stressed that the FCT must be clean while the masterplan must be adhered to. He said any building contravening the masterplan would be demolished, while adding that the era of land racketeering was over.
The FCT Minister equally reemphasized the ban on cattle rearing within the city centre, saying his administration will dialogue with herdsmen in the FCT to bring lasting solution to the issue.
Barr. Wike also said that land speculation would no longer be tolerated as lands allocated and not developed after a period of time would be revoked and re-allocated for immediate development, adding that uncompleted buildings which have been run over by weeds and have become hideout for criminals would be taken over by government as part of efforts to secure the FCT.

He said: “All those who have left their old houses, shanties for criminals, you say you are building a house for 15 years, uncompleted building and now criminals have taken over the place, government will take it back. All those uncompleted buildings defacing the city, particularly Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse”.
Speaking on the need for more infrastructural development in the FCT, the Minister said that the option of internal revenue generation through ground rent payments would be pursued, adding that no one would be spared in the payment of ground rent.
He said: “Some people have said Abuja is not doing this, Abuja is not doing that. Those of you also have refused to pay your ground rent, non-payment of ground rent is a breach of covenant. I don’t need to write you to pay. You know that as a tenant, at the end of the month, you are supposed to pay so and so amount and you say the landlord has not written to me. No, it doesn’t make sense because Abuja needs money too and part of the source of revenue is ground rent. So, if you have not paid, be it bank, anywhere, sorry. I will not be tired to revoke and I’m going to do it”.
The Minister also said that alternative transportation to motorcycles and tricycle in the FCC would be provided to make movement in the FCC and from the suburbs to the FCC easier for commuters, stressing that mass transit buses and the Abuja Light Rail would be made functional again.
Barr. Wike assured that he would be a hands-on Minister and urged the media to work with him to achieve Mr President’s mandate for the FCT.
Present at the press briefing was the Minister of state FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmud, FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, ES FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmed and other senior officials of the FCTA.

ANTHONY OGUNLEYE
DIRECTOR OF PRESS
(OFFICE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER)
21/08/2023

FCTA/ODP/PR/409


PHOTOS

1. FCT Minister Chief Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike arriving at the FCTA Secretariat following his inauguration as Minister on Monday August 21st, 2023

2.A mammoth crowd awaiting the arrival of the FCT Minister and Minister of State at the FCTA Secretariat on Monday 21st August, 2023 following their inauguration by Mr President

3.L-R) FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud and Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola during the Minister's inaugural press briefing on Monday, August 21st 2023

EARTHQUAKE: BUHARI’S SPECIAL ENVOY DELIVERS ONE MILLION DOLLARS SUPPORT TO TÜRKIYE

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Special Envoy of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Republic of Türkiye, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on 23rd February 2023, delivered the President’s condolence message following the 6th February earthquake that hit the country.
Bello was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Ambassador Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the capital, Ankara. He was accompanied on the mission by the Nigerian Ambassador to Türkiye, Malam Ismail Abba Yusuf.
The Special Envoy noted that President Muhammadu Buhari was unable to personally pay a condolence visit to Türkiye due to the scheduled General Elections in Nigeria holding on 25th February 2023.
He conveyed the President’s heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Government and people of Türkiye, over the devastating earthquake.
The Special Envoy also handed over Mr. President’s Letter of Condolence as well as a Central Bank of Nigeria Promissory Note of USD $1,000,000.00 (one million United States dollars), for onward transmission to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
He said the token was a donation by the Government of Nigeria to support the ongoing humanitarian efforts in cushioning the effects of the tragic earthquake.
The Türkiye Minister of Foreign Afairs in his remarks, explained that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was unable to personally receive the Special Envoy due to exigencies of directly overseeing humanitarian efforts in the eleven (11) quake-hit southern provinces of the country - Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig.
The Minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Government and people of Nigeria for their show of solidarity, financial as well as material support to the Republic of Türkiye in her trying times.
He noted that the First Lady of Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, had earlier donated ten Thousand (10,000) blankets on behalf of African First Ladies Forum to the ongoing Humanitarian efforts in the country.
Ambassador Çavuşoğlu told the Special Envoy that as at 23d February 2023, no fewer than forty-three thousand (43,000) persons have been confirmed dead while 14 million (fourteen million) people were affected in eleven (11) provinces of the Country. He added that the Government has resolved to embark on rebuilding new Cities with all associated infrastructure in all the locations of the disaster.
The Minister, while wishing Nigeria a successful and peaceful General Elections, reiterated that in compliance with the country’s Constitution, the Government of Türkiye is also committed to conducting its forthcoming General Election scheduled to take place on 18th June 2023, despite the devastating effects of the earthquake.

Abubakar Sani
Senior Special Assistant (Media)
25th February, 2023


Photo Captions:
FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello delivering President Muhammadu Buhari’s condolence letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Ambassador Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

2nd from left - FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Amb. Şebnem Cenk, Türkiye Director-General for West & Central Africa and H.E. Amb. Ismaila Abba Yusuf, Ambassador of Nigeria to Türkiye

FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, casting his vote during Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections.

FCT MINISTER HOSTS KASHIM SHETTIMA

...AS VP CANDIDATE MEETS FCT TRADITIONAL, POLITICAL LEADERS

1. The Hon. Minister of the FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello on Wednesday played host to the APC Vice Presidential Candidate at his official residence in Life Camp, and introduced him to the FCT Council of Chiefs and the APC political leadership in the FCT.

2. In her welcome address at the event, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, expressed optimism that the APC will triumph in the forthcoming general elections and called for the cooperation of all party members.

3. She also reiterated the commitment of the FCT APC to the party and pledged their hard work and support to ensure the success of the party at the polls .

4. in her words “We believe in the party and your leadership and we pray sincerely together with my colleague and on behalf of the entire royal fathers domesticated under the leadership of the Hon. Minister of State and the Hon. Minister of FCT, we appreciate you and we believe collectively that we shall work, and we shall be victorious.

5. In his remarks, Senator Kashim Shettima said that the essence of his meeting with the traditional and APC political leadership of the FCT is to draw a roadmap for having a hitch free general elections with the traditional leaders playing a crucial role.

6. He said “The whole essence of this meeting is for us to consolidate our interest and draw a roadmap of having a hitch-free elections in the FCT and the royal fathers, being custodians of our rich cultural heritage, they are the people who are the point of contact to the grassroots.”

7. Describing the FCT as a microcosm of the larger Nigerian society, and that most of the election observers will be in Abuja to monitor the elections, Shettima called on the royal fathers to help ensure that the elections are conducted freely and fairly and that residents are not denied their rights to vote.

8. Speaking further, he said “We urge you to be all embracing and all accommodating because Nigeria is a nation. Elections come and go but the nation remains.

9. “The FCT being the political nerve centre of the nation, we crave your indulgence, your support and solidarity in ensuring that we get the most votes in the FCT. We pray and hope that if we work in unity, we can win the Senatorial, House of Representatives and Presidential elections”

10.The Chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs and Ona of Abaji, Dr Adamu Baba Yunusa in his remarks pledged that the traditional institutions will work towards a free and fair election in the FCT.

11.Also present were the APC Deputy National Chairman (North) Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Depty DG of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Hadiza Bala Usman, the FCT APC Chairman, Hon Abdulmalik Usman, FCT APC PCC Coordinator, Hon Zephaniah Jisalo, 15 other graded chiefs in the FCT and other senior party officials and members.

FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (Second from right) flanked by APC National Assembly Candidates from FCT, at the APC Tinubu/Shettima Presidential campaign rally for FCT held at the Eagle Square, Abuja on Saturday.

1. FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (right) in a handshake with the APC Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu at the Yola International Airport following the APC Presidential rally in Adamawa State on Monday, 09/01/2023. Middle is Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, former governor of Zamfara State.

2.FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello sits with other party leaders during the APC Presidential rally in Yola, Adamawa State, on Monday, 09/01/2023

3 FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (first left) joins other party leaders to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari to Yola, Adamawa State for the APC's Presidential rally on Monday 09/01/2023

FCT MINISTER SETS AGENDA FOR NEW APPOINTEES

The FCT Minister Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello has challenged the newly appointed Secretary of FCT Transportation Secretariat, Abdullahi Adamu Candido, and the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Special Duty, Farida Odangi Suleiman, to work towards achieving President Muhammadu Buhari’s goal for the growth and development of the Federal Capital Territory.

The Minister said the President is interested in an orderly and smooth running of the Federal Capital City and therefore, challenged the newly appointees to be dedicated and work diligently towards resolving the identified traffic challenges in the Federal Capital Territory.

Bello gave this challenge during the swearing in of the newly appointed Secretary of Transportation and Senior Special Assistant at a brief ceremony preceding the FCT Executive committee meeting on Monday at Gwarinpa I District, Abuja.

The new appointees were administered with the oath of office by the representative of the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Kayode Adeniyi.

The Minister insisted that all the traffic challenges bedeviling the Federal Capital City must be squarely addressed by the new Transport Secretary.

He identified some of the traffic challenges such as one chance, indiscriminate parking, and unruly and reckless driving.

Others include commercial motorcycle operators (Okada), unpainted taxies, as well as willful violation of traffic rules and regulations by motorist in the Territory.

Bello, thus, urged them to bring their wealth of experiences to bear and contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the city.

He said indiscriminate parking and violation of traffic rules have resulted in avoidable road crashes in the city and vowed that his administration will not tolerate any act that will disrupt seamless vehicular movement in the city.

The Minister commended the efforts of the city managers for working assiduously to contend the flood that ravaged other states in the Federation, saying that in as much as the nation witnessed heavy downpour, this season, Abuja has not been affected with any incidences of flood this year.

He, however, asked them to redouble their efforts to sustain this achievement; warning that activities of miscreants, who continually deface the cities by removing manhole covers and other road infrastructures must be tackled frontally.


Muhammad Hazat Sule
Director, Information & Communication, FCT
Monday, September 12, 2022.

CANDIDO REPLACES ANGULU DOBI AS FCTA TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY

….AS FCT MINISTER APPOINTS CHAIRMAN AND GM OF WATER BOARD, OTHERS



1. FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has approved the appointment of Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido as the new Secretary for the Transportation Secretariat of the FCT Administration.



2. Born on the 3rd of December 1965 in Jiwa, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abdullahi Adamu Candido served two terms as elected Executive Chairman of AMAC under the All Progressives Congress (APC) from 2016 - 2022.



3. He replaces Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi who resigned his appointment as Secretary of the Transportation Secretariat to contest for the senatorial ticket of the FCT in the forthcoming general elections which he has secured under the APC



4. Also appointed is Farida Odangi Suleiman who is now the Senior Special Assistant (Special Duties) to the FCT Minister.



5. Farida Odangi Suleiman replaces Hon. Abu Zarri Ribadu who also resigned his appointment as Senior Special Assistant, (Special Duties) to the FCT Minister to contest for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency of the FCT in the forthcoming 2023 general election. He is now the APC candidate for that position.



6. Farida Ogangi Suleiman holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Estate Management as well as a Masters degree in Environmental Impact Assessment from the Federal University of Technology Minna



7. The Minister also appointed Engr. Hassan Umar Danjuma and Engr. Tauheed Amusan as Chairman and General Manager of the FCT Water Board, respectively.



8. Engr. Hassan Umar Danjuma who holds Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with over 30 years of experience as an engineer, is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and has a specialization in design, construction and management of civil engineering projects.



9. Engr Tauheed Amusan who is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers has a specialisation in diverse areas of civil engineering and project management for water supply, roads, district infrastructure and environmental engineering.



10. He joined the services of the FCTA in 1991 and until his appointment as the GM of FCT Water Board, was seconded as Special Assistant (Technical) to the Hon Minister of Water Resources since 2015.



11. Abubakar Sadiq Maina was also appointed as the Group Managing Director of the Abuja Investment Company Limited, a subsidiary of the FCT Administration.



12. Born on 24th April 1974, Abubakar Sadiq Maina graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Maiduguri in 1998 and has about twenty-two (22) years of portfolio management experience.



13. Meanwhile, the Minister has also ratified the appointment of Zanna Alhaji Hamza as the substantive Director of the FCT Treasury (DOT). The new DOT has been serving in acting capacity since the retirement of his predecessor.



14. Hamza Zanna Alhaji, who is a fellow member of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria holds bachelor and Masters Degrees in Accounting from the Universities of Maiduguri and Lagos respectively.



15. The appointments take immediate effect.



ANTHONY OGUNLEYE

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

08/09/2022





FCTA/OCPS/PR/365

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello along with the Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyema welcomes the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda to Abuja, at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, in the early hours of Tuesday, 6th September,2022.

We have read with displeasure the very unfortunate article published in various newspapers and dated 16th August, 2022 credited to United Kugbo Market Traders Association indicting Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) and Mesotho Group Limited (MGL) over spurious allegation of land grabbing et al.

For all intents and purposes information presented by author of the publication is a gross representation of the facts peddled to discredit Abuja Investments Company Limited and Mesotho Group Limited.

However, to set the records straight, Kugbo International Market project was duly approved by the Federal Capital Territory Administration. The title to Plot 8279-E08 where the Kugbo International Market is being developed was granted to Abuja Investments Company Limited free of any encumbrance via an Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy dated March 29th of March 2019 for the purpose of developing a District Market to serve Nyanya and adjoining districts.

All necessary approvals were obtained, from the relevant authorities before the commencement of the project. One of such approvals was ‘Conveyance of Building Plan Approval’ by Department of Development Control, FCDA on October 10th, 2019.

The claim by the author of the article that the Kugbo International Market is located in the Kugbo Commercial Layout is clearly untrue, as no such layout or district exists in the Abuja Master plan.

The projected falsehood of the article referred made reference to a lawsuit and judgment in favor of its peddlers. May we state categorically that neither Abuja Investments Company Limited nor Mesotho Group Limited were parties to the suit referred if at all and in fact there exist no such suit involving the aforementioned organizations, or Plot No. 8279, Cadastral Zone EO8, Nyanya/Kugbo where the market is situated.

To that extent it amounts to intolerable falsehood to posit that responsible organizations as Abuja Investments Limited and Mesotho Group Limited are land grabbers or to assert that Kugbo International Market is in dispute when there is none.

Disclaimer: that Kugbo international market is in dispute and Abuja Investments Limited or Mesotho Group Limited are land grabbers is false and a malicious publication aimed at achieving the selfish agenda of a group of persons.

We therefore urge members of the public to disregard such unfounded falsities regarding the Kugbo International Market, while we assure our investors of a security of their investment.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured that Abuja, the Nation’s Capital city remains the safest and most peaceful City in the country.
Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Security Matters, Ambassador Abu Salihu Mohammed gave the assurance while reacting to recent reports on the social media about the security situation in the Territory.
He said the high level of security of lives and property explains why there are large influx of people into the Territory from all parts of the nation, despite attempts by peddlers of fake news, painting the Territory as unsafe.
According to him: “Although, the FCT is not immune to crimes (banditry, terrorism, armed robbery and other petty thefts) as a result of its location, contiguous to States with high terrorist/banditry activities, the situation is exacerbated by spread of fake news. The print and electronic media as well as social media platforms have been awashed with panic/false alarms, thus further aggravating the prevailing tension amongst significant proportion of residents of the territory”.
His words: “Just recently, the Hon. Minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello approved the sum of one hundred and two million, three hundred and eight-two thousand, five hundred Naira (N102, 382, 500) for the commencement of the second phase of the G-7 operation. The operation, which will last for thirty days and spread over two months will cost over two hundred and seven thousand Naira (N207, 000,000).
“The second phase of the Operation will see the commencement of security actions and procedures by members of the G7 which will involve taking the fight to the bandits and terrorists in their dens. Already, some of the neighbouring countries have given their nods to the operation”.

Amb. Mohammed added that efforts being made by the FCT Administration to curb insecurity in Abuja are numerous among which are the following:
• Conduct of regular joint operations among the actionable Security Agencies and the military members of the FCT Security Committee. There have been tremendous successes in the joint operations as synergy among the agencies are better than before.
• Ongoing Clearance Operations of suspected Bandit locations in the hilly, mountainous and forest locations on the Fringes of the FCT. There have also been upscale in military checkpoints at strategic locations and regular/sustained joint patrols.
• Setting up of the G-7 initiative where members of the group jointly and simultaneously conduct operations along the perimeters of the FCT with the contiguous States (Nasarawa, Kaduna, Niger and Kogi). The G-7 involves security collaborations and partnerships with States that are contiguous to the FCT. The logistics for the operation is taken care of by the FCT Administration. This action has led to the reduction in the influx of bandits/terrorists into the FCT.

• Mass Elimination of Shanties and constant Raiding/Clearing of Hideouts that harbour criminals and hoodlums in the Territory. Most of the shanties are safe havens for miscreants, armed robbers, kidnappers and drug dealers. There are also security threats and environmental hazards as open defection together with other breaches of sanitation laws. Therefore, with the current security situation, the continuous presence of shanties in the FCT are no longer going to be tolerated at all. Same applied to abandoned buildings and bushy undeveloped plots, particularly in built up areas. A Ministerial Taskforce charged with that responsibility conducts its activities almost on daily basis. This has brought sanity in many parts of the Territory.
• Curtailing Menace of Okada Riders in the City. Ban of Okada in the Municipality introduced in 2006 is still in force. Enforcement of the ban is still on and thousands of motor cycles seized are crushed quarterly. You are aware that most of the riders are nuisance, causing accidents here and there, and it is the popular means of transportation for bandits and armed robbers. Miscreants also use it to snatch bags and other valuable from commuters.
• Removal of vogue scavengers otherwise known as ‘Baban Bola’ from the Streets of the FCT. Due to public outcry on the activities of scavengers on rising menace of vandalism and theft of private and public property, including critical national infrastructure, Baba Bola have been outlawed in the FCT.

“It was as a result of these efforts that the Honourable Minister of FCT directed all relevant SDAs to work jointly and close down identified scrap markets (Panteka) where the transmission lines and other stolen infrastructure were sold. Also, consideration is being given to stemming the demand side of the scavenging activities by targeting the end users. It is strongly believed that if the end users are identified and punished, it will curtail the rampant cases of vandalizing critical national assets”, he said.

Abubakar Sani
Senior Special Assistant (Media)
16th August, 2022

The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello on Friday, August 12, 2022 performed the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the Kafe District Market.

Malam Bello, during the ceremony, said when completed, the market will cater for the shopping needs of the residents of Life Camp, Kafe and Gwarimpa Districts.

The Minister who expressed surprise at the level of work on the project commended the partnership that brought about the project while looking forward to commissioning it.

He said: “So, all the partners in this project, starting from the AICL, the AH Properties and Construction company and all the agencies of the FCTA, I congratulate you for initiating this wonderful, magnificent project within the city and I look forward to the day we will all assemble here to commission it”.

Earlier, the General Managing Director Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL) Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Maina, commended the FCT Minister for always being supportive of the AICL.

He said: “I will like to appreciate the Hon. Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello for his unwavering support to AICL. Since he came into office, he has allowed the company to operate fully as a limited liability company and intervenes only when the situation requires that he intervenes to support the company in achieving its objectives”.

Represented by AICL’s Chief Coordinating Officer in charge of subsidiaries, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, the GMD said, “The Karfe market is positioned to be one of the most beautiful and organized markets in the FCT, going by the design and layout. Upon completion, the market will have a total of 600 shops and other facilities like clinic, mobile police station, fire-fighting facilities, etc. it will serve Karfe, Dape, Kado, Gwarinpa Districts among others.
“The developers have also designed a market that will most likely become the first 24hour market in the FCT. It is needless to say that the commercial activities from this number of shops will no doubt impact positively on the economy of the FCT and the revenues that will be generated”.

Also speaking at the event, the architect in charge of the project, Mr. Arthur Oguegbulu,in explaining the scope of the project, “The market will provide community integration, considering the number of estates we have around here. The market is at the centre of many estates, considering Gwarimpa and other outskirts within this area.
In fact, this Kafe District is made up a lot of estates. So, we provided what we call a market square within the market. It’s a large landscaped area where shoppers can actually lounge, just the way you have them in malls.
Present at the event was the Secretary, Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and PPP, Honourable, Lukman Agboola Dabiri and other officials of the FCTA.