Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has said the nation’s capital is safe for investors.
He said security and job creation for the residents remained key priority areas on the list of his administration’s agenda.
Wike gave the assurance when he hosted the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, in his office yesterday in Abuja.
The FCT minister said the United Kingdom (UK) and Nigeria had a long relationship since the colonial period to Independence, adding that the ties were getting stronger.
Wike, who was responding to a request by the high commissioner on the priority areas of the FCT administration, said his interest was centered on the priority of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is anchored on eight priorities.
Assuring his guest of tight security in the FCT, the minister said: “Two months ago, it did appear to be too hot, but you can now see that the level of criminal activities has come down very well because of the level of support and the commitment of security agencies, particularly the police.
“We gave the police and other security agencies a lot of logistics support. That is how I help them effectively to support the fight. This helps to tackle, particularly, banditry and kidnapping. I can tell you that we have made tremendous progress in terms of arresting the kidnappers.
“There is no part of this world that there won’t be any form of criminality. What is important is the swiftness of security agencies to apprehend and also try to prosecute those that are involved. I’m happy with what we have done.
“We also realised that before now, it did appear that there were no activities in Abuja. Many people complained that Abuja was down, but as we came on board, activities have come on board.
“We are proud to say that we have turned Abuja, which was not the case in the last past eight years, to construction site.”
Montgomery said the British High Commission was interested in understanding the FCT Administration’s areas of priority to help in bilateral relationship.