2014 World cup: Shun public viewing centres in Abuja – FCT administration warns
-Security to be tightened in motor parks, marketsTo evade terror attacks, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has advised FCT residents to shun public viewing centres during the football World Cup as such places are among soft targets for terrorists. The Minister called on FCT residents to be vigilant and constitute security committees and […]
-Security to be tightened in motor parks, markets
To evade terror attacks, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has advised FCT residents to shun public viewing centres during the football World Cup as such places are among soft targets for terrorists.
The Minister called on FCT residents to be vigilant and constitute security committees and vigilantes in their neighbourhoods, estates and quarters stressing that security remains everybody’s business.
Similarly, the administration has directed management of institutions and places of large public gathering in the territory to immediately develop their separate comprehensive security plans to forestall attacks by insurgents.
The FCT Minister Bala Mohammed who gave the directive in Abuja today after emergency security meeting of the administration stressed the need for proactive measures by all stakeholders to prevent terror attacks in FCT.
Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of FCT Mr Nosike Ogbuenyi in a press release gave the places affected by the directive as: motor parks, restaurants, markets, supermarkets, shopping malls and centres, drinking joints, parks and gardens, banks, churches, mosques, hotels, viewing centres and hospitals etc.
“Apart from installing separate close circuit televisions (CCTVs), they are required to liaise with appropriate security agencies and engage well trained uniformed security personnel who shall be equipped with bomb detectors,” the release read.
The minister wants all entry and exit routes to such places adequately captured by CCTV cameras and be manned by well equipped security personnel.
Managements of places of gathering are expected to liaise with the security department of the office of the minister of FCT for details.
According to the minister, those who fail to comply with the directive will face sanctions which may include sealing off of their places.
The minister has quickly set up an ad-hoc committee to formulate comprehensive security requirements for all public places in FCT.
The committee headed by the Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Mr Reuben Okoya has members like the Special Adviser to the Minister on Security, the Director of Security, the General Counsel, the Managing Director of Abuja Markets Management Limited, the Director of Engineering of the FCDA, the Secretaries of Transportation, Area Council and Social Development Secretariats as well one representative from the offices of the Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary of FCT each.
He directed the FCT Transportation Secretariat to ensure strict enforcement of the ban of unpainted cars for commercial purposes in the FCT with a call on residents to avoid patronizing them for their safety.