Favour Ishember, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike, has sounded the alarm about the intricate security and health challenges facing Abuja, stressing the need for coordinated national support to effectively address them.
While defending the FCT’s budget before Senators in Abuja at the National Assembly Complex,Wike highlighted the territory’s unique status as the seat of the Presidency, National Assembly, and foreign diplomatic missions, making it impossible to operate independently like other states
“You can not discuss autonomy in a city where the President resides, where the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and every corporate head of the country operates from,” Wike emphasized. “The security of this city is not something we can handle alone.”
Wike revealed that the FCT Administration is collaborating with key federal agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector-General of Police, to bolster security. “This city requires total security architecture because of its national importance,” he added.
The Minister expressed frustration over the lack of functional surveillance infrastructure, such as CCTV cameras, citing political sabotage and bureaucratic bottlenecks as major obstacles. “You wonder why we still can’t have effective CCTV coverage in the capital,” he lamented.
Wike cautioned critics pushing for FCT autonomy to consider the constitutional and security implications, warning that a simplified view of governance could lead to operational chaos. “The FCT is not like any other state,” he clarified. “You don’t have a House of Assembly here; our laws are made by the National Assembly.”
To address the pressing challenges, Wike proposed a multi-sectoral summit involving security, health, and FCT stakeholders to develop a unified roadmap. “The issues we face here are complicated and cannot be solved in isolation,” he said. “We need a coordinated effort that brings all stakeholders together.”
On healthcare, Wike announced that the FCTA has completed the procurement of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scanners to improve diagnostics in FCT hospitals. “As of yesterday, we completed procurement processes for an MRI and CT scan machine,” he said. “These will be delivered to our health facilities soon, improving access to quality medical care in the territory.”