The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared the persistent grazing of cattle on Abuja roads as a national security issue, and not his responsibility.
Wike made the remarks during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja on Tuesday while responding to questions on insecurity and other challenges confronting the Federal Capital Territory.
He declined to elaborate further on the matter despite renewed public concerns over the presence of herds on major highways in the nation’s capital.
A journalist had asked the minister what steps the FCT Administration was taking to address complaints from residents over cattle grazing along major roads, including the route leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Responding, Wike said, “I won’t talk about cows. It’s a matter of national security. I have said it severally.”
The minister maintained that security challenges were not peculiar to the FCT, arguing that no country was completely free from insecurity.
“When you say pockets of insecurity, where in this world is everywhere safe? Even America is facing insecurity, France, and Spain,” he said.
Wike, however, insisted that his administration had made significant progress in tackling insecurity across the territory, stating that security agencies had continued to confront criminal activities despite the challenges involved.
“You give us that kudos whether you like it or not. We have been able to tackle it. Sometimes you’re looking for people who are kidnappers; they have no address, you can’t even locate them,” he said.
The minister also blamed abandoned and uncompleted buildings for contributing to insecurity in the nation’s capital, saying many of such structures had become hideouts for criminal elements.
“The uncompleted buildings are also part of insecurity,” he added.
The presence of roaming cattle on major roads in Abuja has remained a recurring concern for residents and motorists, who have repeatedly complained about the safety risks posed by livestock on busy highways, particularly around the Airport Road and other major routes.
Tuesday’s comments come about two months after the former Rivers state governor publicly apologised to Abuja residents over the continued presence of cattle on the city’s roads, admitting that the problem had persisted despite the administration’s efforts to improve the capital.
During his monthly media briefing in June, the minister accepted responsibility for the situation. He said, “I apologise that up till now there are cows still roaming the streets of Abuja; I take responsibility.”
He nevertheless maintained that removing the animals from the city required a cautious approach because the matter involved national security and could easily generate ethnic and religious tensions if not properly handled.
At the time, Wike disclosed that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Livestock Development, had been engaging Miyetti Allah and other stakeholders as part of efforts to promote ranching and move cattle away from the city.
He also described the sight of roaming cattle in the nation’s capital as an “eyesore,” while stressing that lasting solutions would require collaboration among relevant authorities and stakeholders.