By Uzair Adam Imam
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command has arrested 23 suspects in relation to rape, armed robbery, car theft, and other crimes in the territory.
The suspects were apprehended following a crackdown by the police on crime in the FCT.
The FCT Police Commissioner, Haruna Garba, announced this during a media briefing in Abuja.
He said nine suspects were arrested for ‘one chance’ (a form of robbery), two suspects for rape, and 12 suspects for armed robbery.
The briefing was held to address the FCT police’s efforts to combat crime and keep residents safe.
According to Garba, based on the arrests and recoveries made in November, crime in the FCT had seen a significant decrease in December.
This was evident from the data on arrests and recoveries from crime scenes. “I wish to bring to the attention of the general public that there are some mischief-makers out there posting items on social media that the FCT is not safe and that one-chance operators have taken over the FCT.
“This is not true. I can say without any fear of contradiction that FCT is the safest city in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that someone is leveraging social media to misinform the entire populace that FCT is not safe.
“Those behind the fake news should be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is the only country that we call our own,” he said.
He said the target of the mischief-makers was to create fear and apprehension in the minds of the people and, of course, investors who would want to come to Nigeria to invest.
“Christmas was celebrated peacefully without any serious security breaches. The Millennium Park, Magic Land (Amusement Park), and other recreational facilities, places of worship, and other key/vulnerable points were adequately protected.
“There was no single incident of any kind reported. The same strategies that were put in place during the Christmas period will be replicated during the New Year festival.