The former Rivers State Governor made this known on Monday during a media chat with journalists in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has blamed the incessant occurrences of kidnappings and abductions in Abuja on inadequate equipment and operational vehicles for the security operatives.
The former Rivers State Governor made this known on Monday during a media chat with journalists in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He did, however, assure people that the security concerns would be handled shortly after President Bola Tinubu approved emergency procurement.
He explained that the sanction was for the purchase of digital tracking tools and operating vehicles to help stop kidnappers in their tracks.
“So many facilities were not provided and vehicles for the security agencies are not there,” the Minister was quoted by NAN.
He continued: “You cannot believe that equipment to track criminals are not there and when anything happens, security agencies go back to the Office of the National Security Adviser or to the Force Headquarters.
“That is not the way it is supposed to be,” the minister said.
Wike said Nigerian security agencies need special equipment to be able to reduce the level of crime, particularly those that will help them to track specific locations of phone users.
He said that the FCT Administration had identified what each security agency needed and would be provided through the emergency procurement.
“Again, before we came on board, the police had said that they had requested procurement of a certain number of motorcycles where vehicles cannot get to – the remote areas. Some of these areas are mountainous.
“Unfortunately, the motorcycles were not provided, but we have been able to do that now,” he added.
Wike, who stated that security required more than just equipment, also mentioned the importance of motivation for staff.
He believes that this must be addressed for security operations to be successful.
He also stated that the FCTA would form a Joint Task Force with a full command and control structure and the necessary equipment to respond to security emergencies.
“The next thing is to set up a joint security outfit here, where they have their own structure and equipment so that if anything happens, the task force will know it is its function and move in.
“Yes, it will cost us some funds and it will take us some time, but what is important is that we have identified that this is a lacuna that we have to cover,” the minister added.