…direct FCT minister to ensure operation of Abuja Urban Mass Transit
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has urged the Inspector General of Police and other heads of security agencies to enhance surveillance in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and nip in the bud the activities of one chance.
The House also directed the Nigeria Police, all banks and FinTech operators like Opay and MoniePoint in Nigeria to give preference to such cases and ensure that victims get justice by providing on time, all information needed about the owner of the account used for such heinous act, also use their mechanism to get hold of the account and apprehend the criminal.
The House further urged the Federal Government to close down the operation of illegal and unauthorized loan companies in Nigeria used by these criminals.
These resolutions was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Billy Osawaru on the “NEED TO CALL ON THE SECURITY AGENCIES TO BEEF UP SECURITY MEASURES IN FCT AND ENHANCE SYNERGY WITH THE BANKS IN NIGERIA TO UNRAVEL THE ONWERS OF BANK ACCOUNT USED BY ONE CHANCE OPERATORS”, on Wednesday at plenary.
Rep Osawaru highlighted the heinous operation of one chance and Kidnappers in the FCT, Abuja, which has left victims in a sorry state due to severe torture on them and their bank account emptied simultaneously at gun point.
According to him, the perpetrator’s alleged magical powers used to hypnotize their victims and take them to an unknown destination, where the money in their different bank accounts are emptied with the use of POS and other money transfer devices, and at the same time, inflict pain/injuries on them, rape their female victims and push them out of a speed moving vehicle afterwards.
The motion reads: “Concerned that the victims of this despicable act and bank account used for this criminal purpose seem to be difficult to track or trace, due to lack of synergy between the security agencies and Banks, and also the bank’s unwillingness to help customers and do proper investigation on their own with the excuses of waiting for police extract or affidavit or other requirements that could be frustrating coupled with the money involved in the process which the victims whose money were stolen may no longer afford;
“Cognizance of the CBN directives mandating all Bank operators to ensure that individual or cooperate accounts of every customer are linked to their NIN and BVN which means every transaction done within and outside the bank could be traced;
“Worried that in most cases the phone numbers and bank accounts of their victims are used to borrow money from illegal and unauthorized loan apps of the companies in Nigeria, thereby incurred humongous debt which their victims must offset afterwards;
“Also worried that on daily basis cases of such abound including that of our children/relatives, staff, secretaries etc and if nothing urgent is done to curb the activities of one chance in the FCT, Abuja and other state in general, and its perpetrators brought to book, FCT may not be safe for every one of us to stay”.
The House unanimously adopted the motion and resolved to mandate the minister of FCT to ensure the maximization of the operation of Abuja Urban Mass Transit whose Buses are lying fallow in its office premises; to enable them provide the FCT residents with a reliable transportation system and extend their services to 9:30pm daily.
The House further mandated the House committees on FCT, Police Affairs, Banking Institutions and legislative compliance to look into this and ensure compliance.