Determined to wipe out terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals terrorising the peace of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Nigerian armed forces and counterparts from the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Civil Defence and other security agencies have embarked on raids of hotspots within and outside the FCT.

The raids, which have been going on for sometime, had resulted in the arrest of over 10  suspected bandits, terrorists, and informants working for the criminals.

It gathered that the operation has also led to the destruction of several camps and strongholds of criminals located in some remote parts of the FCT.

Also, suspected criminal hideouts in motor-parks like Jabi, Zuba, Kaduna road and popular markets in the city centre and area councils have been destroyed.

The security agencies also destroyed camps used by scavengers for their activities and set their equipment on fire.

A security source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity,  said soldiers working in conjunction with hunters, local vigilante groups, and community leaders in the area council have also beefed up security in and around schools in the area to forestall any attack as schools resumes this week.

It was also gathered  that terrorist camps around Kuje, Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Masaka and some parts of Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger and Kaduna states were destroyed during the operations that were being conducted round the clock.

According to a  source, “Some criminals who took advantage of the forests and bushes in the FCT to relocate and carry out their nefarious activities are now lamenting because of the huge loses they incurred from the operations.

“To get to the location of criminals, the soldiers and the security agents have resorted to using motorcycles because of the rains to get to the hinterland.” 

The development is also said to have been yielding very positive results.

So far, the military and security agencies have raided places like Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada, Masaka, Mararaba, Keffi, Karu abbatoir, Kugbo, Karshi, Mpape, Zuba, Gwagwa, Area One, Utako market, Karmo, Bwari, Jabi, Nyanya, Lugbe and Kuje, among other hotspots.

As schools resume, security has been beefed up, especially in boarding schools, to ensure the safety of schoolchildren, teachers and other academic staff. It was gathered that the security deployment include plainclothes operatives. For now, all trading in and around boarding schools are prohibited, to avoid the criminals using the opportunity to carry out attacks.

A security source informed that people who don’t have any business in those schools would not be allowed to gain entry into such schools. The move it was gathered has become necessary especially at this time when admissions are on-going. 

The FCT, Police  Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the development and assured the public of their safety.(Sun)