Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom
Wike, on Tuesday assured protesting teachers and civil society organisations in
Abuja that security agencies are intensifying efforts to secure the release of
abducted teachers and students, while cautioning against the politicisation of
security challenges.
Addressing demonstrators who staged a protest in front at
the Federal Capital Territory Adminstration (FCTA) Secretariat demanding the
immediate rescue of victims of recent school kidnappings, Wike said the Federal
Government remained committed to ensuring the safe return of those in
captivity.
According to him, security agencies are actively working to
rescue the victims and restore confidence in the country’s security
architecture.
“We are all concerned about this security situation. The
government is on its toes to ensure that those who are kidnapped are rescued,”
he said.
The minister expressed confidence in the capacity of the
nation’s security institutions to secure the release of the abducted teachers
and students, stressing the need for prompt action.
“I have that confidence that the security system will do all
they can to make sure the teachers and the students that are being kidnapped
are rescued, and let it be prompt,” he added.
Wike, however, warned against turning security concerns into
political issues, arguing that insecurity affects all parts of the country and
should be approached as a collective national challenge.
He noted that incidents of teacher abductions had occurred
in other states without attracting similar protests in the nation’s capital,
urging citizens to adopt a more unified response to security threats.
“We are all concerned, but let us not politicise issues.
That is what I will not support. We are all concerned about the security
situation and how the teachers and students should be released,” he said.
The minister further disclosed that security agencies were
operating within established protocols and had made significant progress in
efforts to secure the victims’ freedom.
According to him, no responsible government would
deliberately allow its citizens to remain vulnerable to criminal elements,
adding that authorities were working under challenging circumstances to protect
lives and property.
“There is no government that will deliberately say let
citizens be kidnapped, but we know where we found ourselves and we know that
everything possible is being done,” he stated.
Calling for national solidarity, Wike said insecurity should
not be viewed through regional or political lenses, stressing that an attack on
one community ultimately affects the entire country.
“What concerns you concerns everybody, and what concerns
Abuja also concerns everybody. We are all looking at how people should rise up
with the same dedication,” he said.
The protest followed growing public concern over recent
school abductions in parts of the country, with teachers’ groups and civil
society organisations calling on authorities to strengthen security around
schools and ensure the safe return of victims.
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