The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has called for the deployment of more policemen to the territory.
The minister made this appeal when he paid a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday.
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In a statement, the minister’s spokesman, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, said such deployment would keep pace with the expansion of the city of Abuja and its attendant rise in crime rate.
Malam Bello also asked for the deployment of crowd control equipment and vehicles to deal with protests by non-residents of the FCT.
He said, “The residents of the FCT are peaceful, law-abiding citizens, and there is the need to protect them and their means of livelihood.”
Responding, IGP Baba promised the provision of equipment to the FCT command to enhance the fight against crime and criminality.
The IGP also informed the minister that the police was ready to train community policing volunteers at the administration’s expense, also calling for synergy between the minister and governors of states bordering the FCT for effective tackling of crime.
