By Pius Awunah
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced fresh security measures across Abuja following an expanded meeting of the FCT Security Council chaired by the Minister, Mr.Nyesom Wike.
FCT’s Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, who briefed journalists after the meeting on Wednesday, November 26,2025,said the council had fully activated Operation Sweep, a multi-agency security operation that was recently relaunched in response to rising security concerns.
Dantawaye explained that the operation has been reorganised into four major sectors covering Gwagwalada, Bwari and two corridors across the city centre, stretching from Berger and Wuse through Karu, Mararaba, Karshi and Orozo.
The Minister, he said, has provided “adequate logistics” to enable joint deployment of personnel from the police, military, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, FRSC, Immigration, Correctional Service and other FCT-based agencies.
According to the Commissioner, the new phase of Operation Sweep is designed to prevent the wave of kidnappings and attacks on schools and religious institutions recorded recently in some parts of the country.
He said Abuja security formations have already strengthened intelligence gathering and commenced aggressive patrols, particularly around border communities and other fringe areas considered vulnerable to criminal infiltration.
Dantawaye disclosed that two suspected security incidents recorded on Tuesday,November 25,2025,turned out to be false alarms.
One,he said, occurred at the Veritas University, while the other happened at Government Secondary School, Tunga Maje, where students mistook farmers for kidnappers.
“Within five minutes, security agencies responded,” he said, adding that operatives had since conducted “a robust interface” with the institutions to reassure them of safety.
The Commissioner urged residents to remain calm, emphasising that all places of worship will receive heavy security deployment during Friday and Sunday services.
He appealed to the public to supply credible intelligence, noting that the security architecture is focused on threats such as ‘One Chance’ robbery syndicates.
“So far, about four syndicates of One Chance have been apprehended,” he said.
Dantawaye also raised concerns about the growing involvement of some dispatch riders in phone theft and related crimes.
He confirmed that several suspects were already in custody, with investigations expanding to include receivers and criminal networks linked to stolen devices.
“We are activating a lot of technical intelligence to deal with such crimes,” he added.
The Police Commissioner further revealed that security agencies will support the legally backed demolition of illegal shanties across the city, insisting that such structures often serve as hideouts for criminals.
The Minister, he said, has directed that no unauthorised shanty should be allowed to stand once the required approvals for clearance are obtained.
Appealing for caution in the dissemination of unverified information on alleged kidnappings, Dantawaye said: “Let us try to verify before we create unnecessary pandemonium or confusion around the city.”
He assured residents that all agencies were working with renewed commitment to ensure that the Federal Capital Territory remains safe.
In another development,the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),Mr.Nyesom Wike, has revealed that more heads will roll over a memo on the reported closure of schools in the FCT.
Wike who revealed this on Wednesday,November 26,2025,maintained that those involved in the memo issued on Tuesday,November 25,2025,for the closure of schools in FCT would not be spared.
He described the development as unimaginable for a director to take such a decision without the approval of higher authority.
The minister who spoke with reporters while inspecting infrastructure at A11, in Guzape area of the FCT, noted that President Bola Tinubu needs to be informed before any school is shut down in the nation’s capital.
Wike said there was no security threat to warrant the closure of schools.
Recall, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming that all government schools in the nation’s capital were ordered to shut down by November 28, 2025.
FCTA described the information as false and capable of destabilizing the peace in FCT.
According to the reports, the directive was given in a memo issued by Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director of School Services, FCT Secondary Education Board.
The memo titled, “Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due To Security Concerns,” ordered principals and heads of schools to end all academic activities and ensure students were dismissed in an orderly manner.
Following the development, in a statement on Tuesday evening, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the FCT minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said no directive for early closure was issued at any level of the administration.
He insisted the academic calendar remains unchanged and urged parents, students, and school authorities to ignore the rumour.
This led to the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the controversy.
Wike, who was sad with the situation, said, “Well, you know in the system, sometimes you get baffled. And that is why it is important for one to be current.
“I was watching the television last night and I saw that the FCT had directed that schools should be shut down. I could not believe it.So, I had to call the Mandate Secretary of Education and of course, he could not reply then I had to get to the details.
“I got to know that the circular was issued to all the schools without our approval. And I know that we are having a Security Council meeting today.
“I called the Commissioner of Police and other necessary authorities but none had an idea because we do not have such a threat that will make us shut down the schools.
“Because of that, the Mandate Secretary of Education has been suspended indefinitely and the Directors who were involved would be sanctioned according to civil service rules. But it’s unimaginable how people could take such a decision without the head of the affairs knowing. It is very unfortunate.
According to the minister,“Kaduna has never shut down, Nassarawa has never shut down, And Kogi never shut down. So how will you say we were threatened? Security operatives do everything possible to make sure that schools in the FCT are safe. But we will not forgive anybody who is involved in this”.
