FCTA Clamps Down On Scavengers, Beggars, One-chance Syndicate, Others

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has drawn the battle lines against street beggars, traders and other miscreants.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister, Lere Olayinka, disclosed on Wednesday that Wike has deployed a joint task force to rid the city and satellite towns in the FCT of street beggars, traders, “one chance” syndicates, scavengers, and other miscreants said to be constituting social nuisances in the territory.
He said the exercise code named “Operation Sweep Abuja of miscreants, street beggars/traders, scavengers, and other criminal elements” has already commenced.
The statement reads, “In line with the Abuja Environmental Protection Act and other relevant laws, the FCT minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has directed the immediate evacuation of miscreants, street beggars and traders, scavengers, and other criminal elements from the FCT.
“Our nation’s capital should be a secure symbol of pride and beauty, not a site for street beggars and scavengers, most of whom are agents of criminal elements.
“To achieve this, a Joint Task Force, comprising security agencies and relevant FCT SDAs, has been deployed to apprehend any persons found begging, scavenging, loitering, or engaging in other acts inimical to the well-being of the residents. Arrangements have been made to profile them and hand them over to their home state governments.
“Security of lives and property of residents of the FCT is of paramount importance to the government; we must all join hands to achieve a safer Abuja.”