The Abuja Youth Forum has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his recent claim that Abuja is the safest city in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by its leader, Comrade Ayuba Danladi, the group described Wike’s remark as “political theatre,” saying it downplays the growing insecurity confronting residents of the capital city.
The forum cited several recent tragic incidents to counter the minister’s assertion, including the abduction and killing of Dr. Ifeanyi Ogbu, a renowned veterinary doctor and immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), FCT chapter.
According to the group, Ogbu was kidnapped from his Kubwa residence along with his three children by gunmen and was later found dead by the roadside, while his children remain missing.
The youth body also referenced the murder of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, an Arise News anchor who was killed during an armed robbery at her Katampe home last week — an incident that sparked public outrage and renewed debate over Abuja’s security situation.
“These headline tragedies are not isolated,” the forum said, citing a surge in one-chance robberies, carjackings across the city centre, and vandalism of critical infrastructure, including power transmission cables that have left many communities in darkness.
The group urged the FCT Administration to prioritise concrete security measures over public relations, stressing that Abuja residents deserve action, not political rhetoric.
