The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered the clearance of Kobi Forest, a notorious hideout for kidnappers and criminals, as part of a renewed crackdown on insecurity in Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that the operation, which commenced on Monday, comes in response to the September 15 abduction of two villagers and the killing of a vigilante commander during a rescue attempt in Guzape and Asokoro Village.
Muktar Galadima, Director of Development Control, who supervised the exercise, said the entire forest would be cleared of trees, shanties, and makeshift structures, with a police outpost recommended for the site.
“This forest has become an ungoverned space and a base for criminal activities. Clearing it will deny them cover,” Galadima explained.
To complement the clearance, the FCTA has introduced drone surveillance for continuous monitoring of forested and high-risk areas.
Dr. Peter Olumiji, Secretary of the FCT Command and Control Centre, confirmed the technology is already in use:
“Drones are now operational in identified corridors and will complement ground security operations.”
Residents have welcomed the intervention, recalling years of unchecked criminal activity.
“Five years ago, we could walk these roads freely. Now, it’s a nightmare,” said Iliya Iwadagba, a Kobi resident.
The crackdown forms part of a broader FCTA security and transport enforcement campaign. In the last five months, authorities have impounded and crushed more than 700 unregistered vehicles and motorcycles linked to “one chance” robberies and other crimes.
Chinedu Elechi, Mandate Secretary for Transport, said measures are also underway to sanitize the transport sector through profiling of drivers, compulsory taxi registration and painting, and the introduction of public bus terminals under a PPP model.
“The FCTA cannot fold its arms while residents are exposed to preventable danger,” Elechi stressed, vowing that enforcement would continue as long as violations persist.
