FCT residents describe good neighbours as antidote to insecurity

Abuja-FCT-City-Gate

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday stressed the need to sustain their neighbourly ties, while describing good neighbourliness as an antidote to insecurity.

They made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Some of the respondents told NAN that they have associations to take care of their welfare and security.

A teacher at Cradle and Crayon School, Maitama, Mr Dayo Ogundele said one of the security strategies they had adopted in their estate was to constitute an association with the specific mandate to discuss their welfare and make appropriate recommendations to stakeholders.

“We have monthly meetings where we address issues such as security, water and waste management.

“It is also an avenue to bring residents together so that they meet each other and get to know themselves better and form lasting connections like you get to know what line of business your neighbour is into and so on.

“You may never know when you need the services of your neighbour. ”

Ogundele added that security was taken seriously by the association and steps were usually taken to ensure adequate security in the estate.

“Like in my estate the association has had cause to change the security company guarding the estate before now, because we felt they were incompetent.

“We were having incidents of burglary in the estate so we had to change them because the affected residents were not getting value for their money.

“We must note that security is paramount, so it is not something to joke with; residents must be sure of their safety,” he said.

Mr Andrew Stone, a mechanic with Honda Place told NAN that his relationship with his neighbours is that of brothers and sisters.

Stone further said that from his childhood he had been made to believe that his neighbours are part of his extended family, adding that good rapport with his security and that of his immediate family were assured.

“My parents and virtually all members of my family then treated all the people around us as `brothers and sisters’ with whom I grew up.

“As at today, my house is at Kuduru in Bwari Area Council of the FCT where we make sure that any new person coming to the area to stay even if it is just for one day has to be presented to the Chief.

“This is to make sure none of us is harbouring a criminal and also for security purpose, which also has been helping us in ensuring a crime free area,’’ he added.

Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Rauf, a roadside welder, told NAN that engaging the services of a vigilance group by his community had been helpful in safeguarding the residents from activities of hoodlums.

He said the community used to meet every fortnight to review security situation of the area with the representatives of the police, traditional ruler and the vigilance group members in order to come up with fresh ideas about tackling new security challenges.

Mrs Alice Oluniyi, a resident of NPA Quarters, Maitama, Abuja, said that most of the residents in her area do not interact with one another, don’t even talk to other people because they feel they are richer; stressing that this kind of attitude fuels insecurity among members of the same community.

“ As for security the people are trying, they involved police when it necessary and in some areas they also employ the services of private security men.

“I will love residents in FCT to cultivate the attitude of knowing one another, this will help foster the relationship among members of the same community and by so doing it will be very easy to watch out for one another,” she said.

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Mr Segun Awoniyi, a teacher and FCT resident, said that there were about 13 flats in the block of building he stays and that most times they don’t get to see one another and when they see one another they most times do not exchange greetings or pleasantry.

He said the relationship among residents of the territory was nothing to write about because most people do not care about others’ welfare.

“I will want to see a community where people live together in peace; government should please create programmes that would make people come together and fraternise more,” he said.

He, however, urged faith-based organisations and the government at all levels to put toghether programmes that would make people share fun activities like football, fashion show, cultural shows and so on.

Miss Rose Adams, a student of the University of Abuja, urged residents of FCT to live together in peace and harmony.

“When people live together in peace there would be progress and development for members of the community,” she added.

Mr Olawale Sanni, a builder, said each and every resident of Bwari community possessed a whistle, could access the dedicated telephone numbers of the vigilance group, police and the leader of the community in the event of any crime to raise an alarm or make contact.

“We are very comfortable with ourselves and see ourselves as brothers and sisters, as we believe that if something happens before your natural siblings come around the neighbours are always there to take action.

“We also notify ourselves if we have visitors so that the rest of the community will have the information. Either in the Church or the Mosque we make such announcements.

“The Nigeria Police also come around on patrol at least two to three times a day and whenever we call upon them, they respond immediately, ’’ he said.

Also, Mr Farouk Kabir, the chairman of one of the Community Development Association (CDA) in FCT, said the community had been enjoying relative peace since his arrival in the last fifteen years.

“We are just like a family, so whatever we do we do it as fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons and friends. Everyone is carried along.

“We are well organised and we cooperate with one another. This is why we stand out from other communities, who take pleasure in copying from us,’’ he said.

The Chief Imam of Kuduru community, Sheikh Jibril Muhammad said he had always admonished his fellow Muslims to fear Allah in all their dealings.

“There is a Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) where he said up to the time, the last revelation came to him, he was expecting a verse of the holy Qu’ran will come to indicate a neighbour can be a brother.

“This is to show the importance Islam attaches to good neighbourliness. We are our brothers’ keepers and we should always look at every neighbour as such regardless of his religion or background.

“Islam has attached so much importance to the issue of neighbourliness as one is expected to relate with people in 40 houses from the right, left and behind one’s house as immediate neighbours.

“A Muslim should not eat and waste food, while his neighbour has not eaten and should always be there for his neighbours,’’ he said.

Pastor Isaac Namadi of Zion Church said a neighbour is more or less a brother, friend and confidant put together.

He said the first law in the scripture is that we must love our God and the second is like unto it, we must love our neighbours as ourselves.

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