By Festus Fifen.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration  FCTA over the weekend handed over the security of facilities of the Abuja Metro railway mass transit to two local companies- Al-Ahly Security Guards Ltd and Segad Guards and Protection Ltd

The responsibility of protecting the rail facilities was passed to the two security companies from the CCECC, the company that built and have been protecting the equipments and components of the project since inception.

Performing the handing over ceremony over the weekend, the Mandate Secretary, of the FCT Transportation Secretariat, Abdullahi Adamu Candido said the occasion had become necessary as the administration is gearing towards the take off of the Abuja metro rail, a decision which can only be achieved if the tracks are in good condition.

While charging the newly contracted security outfits to live up to their responsibilities by ensuring they protect the equipments from vandals, Candido warned that the administration will no longer tolerate the manner which hooligans ransacked the tracks and vandalized it in the past.

He added that the administration had concluded plans to commence the maintenance of the vandalized equipments in no distance time inorder to bring the services of the rail to live, hence the need for water tight security along the rail tracks, starting from the metro station.

In his words: “In recent past, hooligans and some bad elements ransacked the tracks and vandalized very critical equipments of the rail tracks. This will never be tolerated any longer and as the administration is gearing towards take off of the Abuja Metro, this can only be achieved if our tracks are safe.

“So in view of the fact that the maintenance will soon commence, it is only clear that these equipments that are being spread from the metro station and all through the tracks, need to be protected and secured.

“While work is in progress to ensure the commencement of this metro into the city to ease traffic movement of the citizenry, it is expected that the new outfit (security) must seat up and be alive to their responsibility.

“This administration appreciates the CCECC for providing security in the recent past. Your performance is appreciated and we’ll as well continue to call on you to do the best you can so that atleast the dream and aspirations of this government come to pass.

“Now, there is a critical responsibility for the new outfit is to ensure that you carry out your duty with diligence, fear of the Almighty God as you discharge the responsibility and whatever you are doing is in the best interest of the country, the FCT administration and its people.

“It is also important that to know that, should there be any error, the CCECC will not be held responsible instead you’d be responsible by the government for any action that’d lead to vandalization of our equipments. We pray that God will continue to see you through”.

Earlier, the Acting Director,  Department of Transportation of the Secretariat, Joseph Akinteye said according to the memorandum of understanding the administration had with the CCECC, its services would end by the end of December 2022.

Akinteye noted that after the commissioning of the project in 2007, the contractor has been protecting the equipments and components of the project.

“After the commissioning of the Abuja railway mass transit in the year 2007, the contractor CCECC have been protecting the equipments and components of this project but according to our memorandum of understanding, their service would end by the end of December 2022.

” Being aware of this fact, the FCT administration quickly engaged local contractors that are specialized in securing and protecting of lives and properties to take over from CCECC Nigeria Limited. We started taking the inventory of equipments and track components since last week for preparation of the handover from CCECC Nigeria Limited to our local security guards contractors”.