Security expert, Bulama Bukarti, has warned that Abuja is rapidly transforming into one of the world’s scariest cities, plagued by kidnappers, one-chance robbers, and a surge in criminal activities that jeopardize the safety of innocent citizens in Nigeria’s political capital.
“In major junctions in Abuja, criminals and armed robbers masquerading as taxi drivers maim and rob Nigerians in a way that we have not seen before,” remarked Bukarti during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Monday, adding that “Abuja is becoming one of the scariest Federal Capital cities in the world.”
The recent abduction of six siblings and their father in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja on January 3, 2024, intensified concerns about security.
The kidnappers, unable to receive a N60 million ransom by the deadline, reportedly killed one of the sisters named Nabeehah.
Bukarti contends that the alarming situation in Abuja mirrors the broader security challenges faced by Nigeria.
“Over 9,700 people were killed last year in 2023 across Nigerians. Abuja cannot be immune to that because as long as you leave insecurity to fester and flourish across Nigeria, then, it will find its way to Abuja,” he emphasized.
Highlighting intelligence reports, Bukarti revealed that violent terrorist groups from North-East, North-West, and North-Central geopolitical zones have infiltrated Abuja, including some who operate from border states like Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa.
“Over 200 people were either killed or abducted in Abuja in the last three months of 2023,” disclosed the expert.
He stressed that this alarming trend could drive away investors, discourage diplomats from residing in the nation’s capital, and severely impact Nigeria’s security rating globally.
Bukarti urged security agencies to implement “sustained security action” not only in Abuja but also in other parts of the country.
“The way to secure Abuja is to take the fight to the bandits and terrorists in other parts of the country,” he advised.
