FCT: Government will not condone mayhem – Wike warns protesters

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned that government will not fold its hands and watch people cause mayhem.

Wike said this ahead of the nationwide protest slated to happen on August 1, 2024.

He gave the warning while inspecting the ongoing construction of the 25-kilometre Yebu Kwaita Road and the 11-kilometre Yangoji-Sukuku Ebo Road, both in the Kwali Area Council of the FCT.

Addressing newsmen during the inspection visit, Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work on the road projects and assured that they would be completed by December this year.

Wike also stated that his frequent visits to project sites in the FCT were to showcase to Nigerians that the FCT is working, adding that there was no need for protests in the FCT.

He avowed that government acknowledges the challenges in the country and commended FCT residents for opting out of the planned protests and embracing the option of dialogue.

He said: “If the FCT is working, why are you telling the residents to come and protest? We quite appreciate the level of hunger but we have said it is better for us to sit down and talk about it than to give room for hooligans to perpetrate crimes against innocent Nigerians.

“No right-thinking government will fold its arms and allow people to cause mayhem, destroy properties, and then we go back to square one.”

Speaking further on the impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the FCT: “I have said before that the Renewed Hope Agenda is not just for the city. It’s also for rural areas. Where we are coming from now, you can see it is 25 kilometres and look at how happy the people are. That is the essence of renewed hope, and that is why we are saying that people should be patient with the government.

“While the government is doing everything to reduce the level of hunger, the government is also providing basic infrastructure that will improve the economy of our country.”