By Olawale Lamina
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has expressed dismay over the non availability of tracking equipment for security agencies, most especially FCT commands of the police and the Department of State Services,DSS.
Wike stated during a chat with some members of the press on Thursday.During the chat, the FCT minister addressed the security situation in the FCT and lamented that both the police and the DSS do not have tracking devices, as they lend the equipment directly from the headquarters of their agencies for operations.
The FCT minister explained: “It is unfortunate to say this, that mostly the security agencies, in particular I will say, the police here, are not adequately equipped.
“In fact, you cannot believe that the police command of the FCT does not even have an ordinary tracking device.You cannot believe that.
“Not only them, even the FCT Command of the Department of State Services do not even have. And the only one they have is at the headquarters.
“So, if there are things to do, they have to go to the headquarters, which is not supposed to be.
“Luckily, I told Mr. President that look, we have to do something, and there must be the emergency procurement of these equipment.”
He added that the FCT Administration had earlier applied to the Bureau of Public Procurement for emergency procurement of equipment for the use of security agencies.
Wike stated that the application was turned down, not until the President gave approval for the emergency procurement in January, after a kidnap incident.Wike informed that the FCT Administration under his leadership would purchase drones to ensure improvement in the security situation of the FCT and its boundaries.
Wike revealed further, saying, “In fact, that is one of the approval Mr. President gave to us that we said look, we are going to purchase our own drones to help in surveillance and in operation, particularly within these boundaries that the topography is so bad, is so hilly, and where you have the forests.
“We have made sure that it is provided in the 2024 statutory budget. I briefed this to the National Assembly yesterday and they were highly elated.”
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