By Daniel Tyokua
The chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikàlangu has identified stakeholders’ role in the fight against insecurity in the council as a necessary step for success.
Speaking during a meeting with security agencies, Maikalangu said there was the need for necessary consultations amongst all stakeholders towards improving security across the area council.
He said the initiative would help in enhancing security of the area within and outside the council.
The security agencies at the meeting include; three Area Commanders, 42 Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), among others.
Maikàlangu promised that the council will provide security agencies with the necessary support to ensure they succeed in their mandate, assuring AMAC residents of adequate protection of their lives and property.
He said: “Today is another day for us to meet, but before I go on, I want to start by apologizing for the inability for us to meet during the festive period. It’s not our fault. As you all know, this is a local government. It’s not the federal government, it’s a local government, government at the locality. Some of you are aware that during the festive period, our gates here were all shut down. The staff are demanding their claims from 2011, only that they did not receive 2011, they want to receive all 2024.
“So they shut down everywhere. It was a very difficult period for me. At the same time, I’m not asking people to come and sit down here and deliberate without having their transport fare. We waited for our money from CBN, CBN said they made a mistake, who am I to go and find them? So we all apologize for what happened.
“I want to start by addressing the importance of this meeting. It is a directive from our superiors that we must call this meeting. It’s a meeting for us to get all the needed issues surrounding your divisions. And this meeting, we have to be taking it quarterly. Because the numbers of DPOs we have in AMAC is not like the DPOs we have in other local governments.
“For instance, if you go to Abaji, there are only two DPOs in the whole of Abaji local government. I think Kwali has like three, but AMAC has over 40 divisions. You can see that our own problem here is different from their own. If we are having any security meeting here, if you are to come by your numbers, here will not contain us. Because you have to call all the DPOs, you have to call other security agencies, all of them have to be here.
“So, I put it this way, that it has to be done quarterly, not every month. And we are advised, whenever we are having this meeting, all your names will be sent to your headquarters. That’s why, as he said that, if you are representing someone, put his name. So that when your name gets there, you will see your name, not somebody’s name. And you’re advised, if you know you have an emergency or you have something, it needs to be here. You need to attend this meeting because they are always part of your record.
“Thirdly, as I rightly said, we are going to deliberate on issues bothering your area divisions and with the guide that this is a local government. It’s not a state government that will take all your issues and solve them at once.
“But there are some that we can handle politically. I can remember some years back, at any time, they used to call my attention. Issues that we can handle, we can handle. So I want to submit that please, there are some issues that you can handle politically. Because some of you, you are sited within our communities, where our people live. Make them your friend. There are issues that you think you can handle politically. It is not every issue you go to cell or you go to court.
