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The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expresses profound outrage and deep concern over the escalating state of lawlessness in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where clearly established environmental and public safety laws are being openly violated with impunity.
It is both shocking and unacceptable that despite existing regulations prohibiting animals from roaming on streets and highways within Abuja, cattle are now routinely seen wandering through major roads, traffic corridors, and even sensitive high-security zones within the city centre, reportedly extending to areas around the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly.
This is a complete breakdown of urban governance and regulatory enforcement in the nation’s capital.
HURIWA states unequivocally that the continued failure of the FCT Administration under the watch of the Minister, Nyesom Wike, to enforce basic environmental and traffic laws represents a disturbing abdication of responsibility. Abuja is not a grazing field. It is the seat of national governance and must not be reduced to an unregulated arena where animals freely obstruct highways while citizens suffer daily insecurity and disorder.
It is unacceptable that while citizens are being exposed to danger on the roads, government attention appears absent, muted, or indifferent to the reality unfolding in plain sight. Governance is not decorative.
Governance is enforcement, order, and protection of lives.
Even more alarming is the worsening security climate in Abuja, particularly the persistent scourge of “one-chance” criminal syndicates operating with increasing boldness across the city. Despite repeated arrests announced in the past, the menace persists, suggesting either systemic intelligence failure, operational inefficiency, or lack of coordinated action among security agencies.
HURIWA therefore calls on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately activate a joint, intelligence-driven crackdown on these criminal networks. Abuja residents deserve safety, not fear. The Federal Capital must not become a theatre of daily terror for commuters.
We further demand full transparency and accountability regarding recent victims of “one-chance” attacks. Nigerian citizens cannot continue to die in silence while official responses remain reactive, fragmented, or absent. The culture of impunity must end, and justice must be delivered swiftly and visibly.
HURIWA also warns that the normalization of cattle roaming in the city centre, combined with unchecked violent crime, paints a dangerous picture of institutional collapse. The rule of law cannot coexist with selective enforcement. Where laws exist, they must be obeyed—by all persons, groups, and interests without exception.
We therefore demand:
Immediate enforcement of all environmental and traffic laws prohibiting open grazing within Abuja city limits.
Immediate removal of all cattle obstructing highways, streets, and restricted zones in the FCT.
Public accountability from the FCT Administration on enforcement failures.
A joint security task force operation to dismantle “one-chance” robbery syndicates across Abuja.
Transparent publication of arrest records and prosecution updates relating to these crimes.
Improved intelligence coordination between the Police, DSS, and other security agencies.
Abuja must not be allowed to descend further into administrative chaos and public insecurity. The Federal Capital Territory is the symbol of Nigeria’s governance integrity, and its continued deterioration is an indictment on all responsible authorities.
HURIWA warns that continued inaction will embolden lawlessness, deepen public distrust, and further endanger innocent citizens.
