By Salihu Dantata Mahmud
From the National Mosque to Tofa House in central area and other areas within the city center, the rate of criminal activities by some miscreants has become worrisome. These miscreants who often disguise as pedestrians snatch bags and phones from the unsuspecting public.
There were many instances where I had to assist victims to the police division in charge of the areas to report cases of theft.
Just recently, they robbed a young Yoruba lady at the bridge connecting Tofa House and the National Mosque junction. When I conveyed her to make a formal report at the Police Divisional Office at the Federal Secretariat, the crime inspector who documented the incident took us to the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) and during the process of discussion, an elderly Hausa man walked in and complained about a similar crime in the same area. The DCO asked the man several questions and in response through description of the type of knife the hoodlums used to threaten him before dispossessing him of his valuables was a long knife. The DCO recalled that they once arrested the hoodlum but surprised that same knife he was caught with was same knife the man who came to lay complain was threatened with.
Whenever they snatch valuables from their victims, they normally run across to the Mohammed Abacha Estate bush part connecting the Abuja Intercontinental Hotel (formerly Sheraton). Observers have called on the Police authorities to set up a special task force from the Federal Secretariat Command with coded operation under a CSP to tackle the menace headlong before it degenerates to a serious problem.
The current method applied by the police where they normally come out blowing siren thereby allowing the hoodlums to run away before they get to the scene of the robbery should be discontinued. Therefore, surveillance, undercover and coded operations are needed if the culprits are to be apprehend.
The city center so far cannot be said to be safe. From one chance robbery, kidnapping and now to bag and phone snatching. The FCT Police Command must rise up to the occasion and act accordingly.