The Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mr Olusade Adesola, on Thursday, urged the G7 states to protect the FCT from acts of criminality and attack.
He described the FCT as the gateway to the nation and the symbol of unity of all the tribes, adding that a security breach would be a “gross embarrassment to the country.”
Adesola, who described the rising state of insecurity in many parts of the country as unprecedented in the history of Nigeria, called on the G7 states to give security agencies the needed support to rid their states of criminal elements.
He made the call at the G7 technical security meeting held in Abuja over the present security challenges and criminality in the region.
The G7 states are the FCT, Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau.
Adesola said, “It is very instructive that we all come to terms with the ugly and horrifying security situation bedevilling the G7 states in particular and the nation at large.
“Bluntly speaking, we are faced and challenged with a situation that is not only hydra-headed, but quite unprecedented in the history of our country.
“This meeting couldn’t have come at a better time than now, given the present security challenges and criminality in our nation today.
“We should bear in mind that Abuja is the nation’s capital city and as such, we all do have a common stake to protect the FCT from being vulnerable to any act of criminality and attack.
“It is important to remind us that Abuja, aside from being the seat of the Federal Government, is equally playing host to foreign embassies and high commissions of many countries of the world.
“The city of Abuja strategically is the gateway of the nation and the symbol of unity to all tribes of the nation. Therefore, any major security breach or criminal act will be a gross embarrassment to the country.”
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday, who is the Chairman of the G7 Technical Committee, said whatever affected the nation’s capital would affect the rest of Nigeria.
“That is why we are meeting to strategize to address the challenges now that we have banditry and cattle rustling and other criminality,” he said.
