The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Peter Opara, along with other security stakeholders, to address the escalating security challenges in Abuja.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance presented by Haruna Dabo, representing the Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Dabo’s motion highlighted the resurgence of “one chance” robberies in the FCT, citing the tragic murder of his legislative aide, Nimah Sulaiman. Sulaiman was abducted on Thursday, October 17, 2024, by unidentified gunmen in Abuja. Despite a ₦1 million ransom being paid, she was fatally stabbed, eventually succumbing to her injuries.
While presenting the motion, Dabo decried the alarming rise in kidnappings and robberies across both suburban and central areas of the FCT. He emphasized the deteriorating security situation, particularly the growing threat posed by “one chance” taxi operators using unregistered and unpainted vehicles.
“It has been a tumultuous and frightening situation for residents of the capital territory. The use of unregistered and unpainted taxis has exacerbated the problem, creating easy channels for criminal activities in the city,” Dabo said.
The lawmaker recounted the murder of his aide, stating, “Ms. Nimah Sulaiman was kidnapped and brutally murdered on Thursday, October 17, 2024, while on her way home to Jahi District. She was taken at gunpoint by ‘one chance’ operators at Bannex Junction, Wuse II. Despite paying the ransom, her body was found hours later at the Maitama/Minister’s Hill Bridge.”
Dabo described the incident as a painful reflection of the deteriorating security in the FCT, which has left residents in fear.
Following a minute of silence in memory of Sulaiman, the House directed its Committees on FCT, Police, and National Security and Intelligence to summon the FCT Minister, the DSS DG, the FCT Commissioner of Police, and other relevant stakeholders to provide a comprehensive briefing on the current security situation in the capital.
The House further mandated its Committee on FCT to investigate the proliferation of unregistered and unpainted taxis in Abuja and propose measures to regulate their operations.
In addition, the Committee on FCT, alongside the Committees on Police and National Security, was tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the activities of kidnappers and armed robbers in the city, with a report expected within three weeks.
