...As Wike gifts vigilance team operational vehicle, cash
ABUJA: Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike on Tuesday received four victims of kidnapping who were rescued by local vigilance teams in Kwali Area Council of the nation's capital, Abuja.
The victims who were kidnapped in a community within Kuje at the weekend said they initially thought that the kidnappers were armed robbers.
One of the rescued victims, Isaac Gbemu, said; "We were in our house around midnight when we heard gunshots. Initially, we thought it was armed robbers, but when the people broke into the compound, we discovered they were kidnappers.
"They took us away that night and brought us to the bush that we didn't know, and we had spent three days there before the vigilance services rescued us this morning".
Wike who was in the area to inspect two ongoing road projects, received the victims at Kwaita and thereafter rewarded the vigilance group with an operational vehicle and cash.
He expressed admiration for the display of brevity and courage by the vigilance groups, adding that the car and cash rewards were to serve as motivation for them to do more.
Speaking on the projects, the minister said the rural road projects across the six Area councils were part of the efforts of President Bola Tinubu towards alleviating economic hardship of the people.
He told the contractors handling the 25-kilometre Kwaita - Yebu road and the 11-kilometre Yangoji - Sukuku - Eba roads to the deliver the projects according to the December deadline.
"The date is December and we are not going to extend it. I have confidence in the contractors who are involved in the construction of these roads in the satellite towns, that they would keep to the promises they have made.
"On our own part in terms of funding, we will not delay. It will not be our problem that we will go and delay the finishing of these roads. They know that we have been funding them and we will continue to fund them.
"We have said before that the Renewed Hope Agenda is not just for the city, it is also for the rural areas.
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"Today, this is the second road we are visiting as far as Kwali Area Council is concerned. Where we are standing now is the 11km road, and you can imagine the impact the road will have on the people when it is completed in December this year", he stated.
On the planned nationwide protests slated for August 1, Wike said; "No right-thinking government will fold its arms and allow people to come and cause mayhem, destroy properties and then we go back to square one.
"So, with what we are doing, you can see the people of Abuja are happy, they appreciate the level of work that is going on".
