To curb rising cases of kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has begun the construction of new police stations across rural and border communities.
The initiative, officials said, is part of Wike’s promise to decentralise policing and strengthen grassroots security across the territory.
The move follows months of insecurity between late 2023 and early 2024, during which communities in Abaji, Kwali, and Bwari Area Councils were repeatedly attacked by kidnappers and bandits, leading to several abductions and deaths.
In response, the FCT Minister ordered the establishment of two additional divisional police stations in each of the six area councils to enhance police presence and reduce response time in emergencies.
A visit to some of the project sites on Thursday, including Tukashare and Saburi (AMAC), Bako (Kwali), Yaba (Abaji), Giri (Gwagwalada), and Ushafa (Bwari), revealed significant progress in construction works.
At Saburi in Abuja Municipal Area Council, the project is near completion, with final finishing and electrical fittings ongoing. The station complex features administrative offices for the Divisional Police Officer and other ranks, holding cells with toilets and bathrooms, and a residential block containing six two-bedroom flats for officers — designed to ensure quick response to emergencies.
Project Engineer, Ahmed Yahaya, told reporters that the facility would be ready for handover soon. “We have completed the electrical and plumbing works, and we’re currently on the finishing fittings. By tomorrow, we’ll commence industrial cleaning, and in two days, painting will begin,” he said.
At the Yaba Divisional Police Station — a border community adjoining Niger State — Site Engineer, Engr. Ayinde Adewale, confirmed that the project remains on schedule. “With the level of funding support from the FCT Administration, we have no doubt about meeting the November deadline,” he said.
The Director of Security Services at the FCTA, Adamu Gwary, described the new stations as part of a comprehensive security framework initiated by the Minister to extend policing to underserved areas.
“When the Minister assumed office, he directed that abandoned or underutilised town halls in the area councils be converted into functional police stations,” Gwary said. “The idea is to bring policing closer to people in remote and vulnerable communities where response time is usually slow.”
He added that the new divisional stations were designed based on a national prototype approved by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and would serve as a model for future police facilities nationwide.
Residents in the benefiting communities have expressed optimism about the project. In Yaba, a farmer, Musa Yakubu, said the new station would boost confidence and encourage more trade. “People will now come freely to buy and sell farm produce because they know security is improving,” he said.
Similarly, a trader, Ibrahim Danladi, said the fear that kept people from staying out late is gradually fading. “Now we can begin to feel safer again,” he said.
Gwary reiterated that the uniform design of the new divisions would ensure comfort for officers and effective policing. “We have aligned FCT projects with the national standard so that both infrastructure and manpower can support efficient policing,” he said.