Insecurity: Reps lament report on death of 140 Police officers in 2024

The House of Representatives expressed serious concern on Wednesday regarding the 2024 report from the FCT Police Command.

The report indicated that out of 1,426 reported cases, 1,077 suspected criminals were arrested, and tragically, 140 police officers lost their lives while on duty.

This concern was raised during a debate on a motion titled “Need to Support Security Agencies in the Federal Capital Territory with Patrol Vehicles and Gadgets to Enhance Security Services within the FCT,” which was sponsored by Hon. Joshua Obika.

In his opening remarks, Hon. Obika emphasized the growing security challenges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. As the capital of Nigeria, Abuja is home to the heads of the executive, legislature, and judiciary, as well as diplomats and their families.

While noting that Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) declared the provision of security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of government, he maintained that Section 299(a) Constitution “vested legislative powers of the FCT in the National Assembly, which calls for a passionate appeal for intervention by the House to support the provision of adequate security services within the FCT and makes it necessary that the House of Representatives should identify by making this kind of gesture by giving a visible contribution.

“The House is disturbed that the 2024 scorecard of the FCT Police Command showed 1,077 suspected criminals were arrested within the FCT out of 1,426 cases reported, with 140 lives of police officers lost in the line of duty.

“The House is worried that recently, the FCT Police Command has identified about 17 criminal black spots
in the FCT, which include the diplomatic zone, the new PDP Secretariat, Gwarimpa, Angwan Tivi, Mpape, Mabushi, and Maitama.

“The House is also worried that the lack of adequate security patrol vehicles and gadgets in criminal black spots within the FCT has led to an increase in armed robbery, targeted attacks, assassination, kidnapping, and terrorism.”

In the bid to strengthen the security system in the nation’s capital city, the House urged the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to support the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory with patrol vehicles and security gadgets to enhance the provision of adequate security services within the Federal Capital Territory.

To this end, the House mandated its Committee on FCT Area Council and Auxiliary Matters to liaise with the six Area Councils chairmen of the Federal Capital Territory to contribute towards the purchase of security patrol vehicles and security gadgets for the FCT Police Command and report within four weeks for further legislative action.

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