By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The residents of Abuja at the weekend said the ongoing construction of 12 divisional police stations and a six-unit police staff quarters in the six area councils of the FCT, by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, will bring significant changes to the security architecture of the nation’s capital communities.

The project, which is part of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) security infrastructure plan, has not only boosted security but also provided employment opportunities for residents. With the police station project nearing completion, FCT residents remain hopeful that its presence will not only enhance security but also provide more employment opportunities in the long run.Speaking with journalists, the architect overseeing one of such project in Saburi, a community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Nuhu Musa, revealed that the construction began on November 19.“The groundbreaking of this project was on November 19, and the next day we commenced clearing of the site. The following week, we excavated,” he said.According to him, the project which is now at 70% completion, with roofing in progress is moving faster than scheduled.The project consists of two major structures: a police station and a residence for police personnel.“We have a program of work. The schedule of work submitted was for one year, but we plan to be done in six months. If today marks the third month, it means we have roughly three months more, which is too much for us to finish up this project.“This project is a police station, and the one at the back is the residence for the police staff, which is six units of two-bedroom flats. It’s a block of flats, two on each level, making it six because it’s two floors,” Musa added.He emphasized that the project has positively impacted the local economy by providing jobs for the residents of the community.“So far, so good. The people of the community are all cooperating. We employed so many of them. The artisans from here also work for us. The security personnel is also from the community,” he said.Also speaking, Engineer Ahmed Yahaya, the site engineer for Armodris Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the project, also highlighted the progress.”We have been here since November, that is three months now. So far, so good. Work has been moving on. We are moving at a lighter pace. As God would have it, there has been no casualty,” he said.He expressed gratitude for the project, describing it as a great intervention for the community.“We thank the minister for bringing this kind of project to this community. Ever since we started this project, people usually come here, and all they say is, ‘God will bless the Minister,’” Yahaya said.The contractors also commended the residents of the community for their continued support for the project, even as they anticipating its full benefits once it is commissioned.Prince Yahaya Mohammed, a resident of Saburi 1 who was employed as a supervisor on the project, expressed his excitement about the employment opportunities created.“I am very happy that I have been employed here as a supervisor. I’m from this village, Saburi 1.“Through this project, many people from this village have been employed, and they now have a source to earn a living,” he said.While commending the FCT Minister for choosing Saburi for the project, he also urged the government to consider Saburi youths in future police recruitment.On his part, the Village Head of Saburi, Alhaji Muhammad Yamawo, lauded the FCT Administration for the police station project and other infrastructure developments in the area.He noted that the newly constructed Saburi-Dei Dei road has improved security in the area.“We have suffered a lot due to the absence of a good road in Saburi, but we are happy that Wike has finally wiped our tears,” he said.“I am very happy with this road project. Security in the area has been improved. Police now patrol the area without hindrances,” Yamawo added.Meanhile, the Director of Security Services at the FCTA, Adamu Gwari, has explained that the police station project is part of the administration’s broader strategy to improve security across the FCT.He said the idea was conceived after the Minister toured the six Area Councils and engaged with residents.“At that interface, he was made to understand that security is first and foremost. As we usually give him the acronym ‘talk and do,’ he looked at it from the perspective of providing infrastructure that will bring security closer to FCT residents,” Gwari explained.According to him, the FCT Minister secured presidential approval for 12 divisional police headquarters, each with six-unit staff quarters, across the six Area Councils.“We started with nine such facilities, and later, the Minister provided three additional ones so that each Area Council will have two, making a total of 12,” he said.He noted that since the implementation of the security infrastructure projects, crime rates in the FCT have reduced significantly.“From the time the Minister visited the Area Councils to date, every blessed month, our statistical information about insecurity is dropping. We can beat our chest to say that security has greatly improved beyond even our expectations,” he said.