The tragic death of 29-year-old Nigerian journalist and Arise TV news anchor, Ms Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, on September 29, following a robbery incident at her Unique Estate residence in Katampe area of Abuja, has drawn attention to the nation’s festering insecurity. Maduagwu reportedly died from injuries sustained during the robbery incident. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Commissioner, Ajao Adewale, said she jumped from the balcony of the three-story building where she was residing out of panic, and died from the ensuing injuries. One of the two private security guards also sustained injuries from gunfire.

The latest incident has exposed the threatening insecurity in the FCT. Before her untimely death, Somtochukwu Maduagwu had big dreams for herself and the country. Unfortunately, those lofty dreams had been cut short by the armed robbery incident in her Abuja residence. There is no doubt that we have lost many Somtos on account of armed robbery attacks and other criminalities. We call for a change of the ugly narrative.

We condemn the circumstances, which led to the death of Maduagwu, and call for a thorough investigation of her death. The police should arrest the armed robbers that attacked her residence and bring them to justice. The report that the police could not respond timely to the distress call during the robbery incident at the Unique Estate apartments is regrettable. The robbers, who operated unchallenged, snatched phones and sundry valuables from residents.

The robbery at Unique Estate was not an isolated case in Katampe area of Abuja, and environs. Of recent, residents had complained of incessant armed robberies in the neighbourhood. They also decried the poor response by security agencies to distress calls. Recently, robbers attacked two houses located in the same street, where Maduagwu lived. The residents no longer sleep at nights because of armed robberies.

Elsewhere at Grow Homes Estate in Kubwa, Abuja, residents were reportedly held hostage for over an hour after midnight by armed kidnappers who abducted some residents. In September this year, Bako Shauza, the Commander of the Volunteer Vigilantes group in Kobi Sarki, near the Abuja City Centre, was shot dead by criminals while attempting to rescue kidnapped victims from the community. Consequently, the residents barricaded the road leading to the area in protest over incessant attacks on the community by kidnappers and robbers.

The rising insecurity in Abuja has raised some concerns, considering that it is home to the seat of government and the headquarters of many security agencies. We believe that the creation of vigilance groups in some parts of Abuja will help curb the incessant armed attacks in the area. They should be adequately equipped with modern gadgets to track criminals. The vigilance groups should also work together with the Nigeria Police Force through intelligence gathering and sharing.

Currently, Nigeria is under-policed with about 378,000 police personnel securing the lives of over 200 million Nigerians. There is no way the Nigeria Police Force as presently constituted would guarantee security to Nigerians. This can explain why armed robbers, kidnappers and bandits are on the prowl across the country. The creation of state police appears to be the only solution to the nation’s intractable security challenge.

It is sad that the federal and state governments have been dillydallying on this very important security issue. The country is ripe for the creation of state police. There is no point postponing it or politicizing it. Besides, the government should recruit more policemen to augment the present police numerical strength. Our police staff strength should be at least one million personnel. Beyond recruiting additional men to the force, our police personnel should be adequately equipped and remunerated.

The police should review their operational strategies. They need drones and other modern gadgets to nip crimes in the bud. The installation of CCTV cameras in Abuja and other Nigerian cities would also aid the police in fighting crimes. The police must also begin to prosecute all arrested criminals in their custody. We believe that prosecuting and getting convictions will reduce the level of heinous criminality in the society. The report that some crime suspects are sometimes set free by the police should be investigated.

We enjoin the police authorities to ensure adequate protection for all citizens from frequent attacks by armed robbers, bandits and kidnappers in Abuja, and other parts of the country. Let the police reactivate the national emergency numbers, like 112 and 199 as communication channels for the public instead of using GSM numbers that are too cumbersome or lengthy to be memorized.

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