The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Friday arrested 20 Point of Sale (POS) operators for hanging around on the streets and other unapproved places in Abuja.
It would be recalled that the administration had earlier warned that money withdrawal operations in non-commercial areas would no longer be condoned.
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It also disclosed that there were intelligence reports and complaints from residents that strange people were roaming about neighbourhoods, pretending to be POS operators.
The Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah who addressed the violators at the premises of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Area 3, said the Minister has no plan to stop POS business but is concerned about security issues surrounding it.
Attah stated that the arrested violators may face a Mobile Court as they have violated some environmental laws, by operating their businesses in unapproved places.
He explained to them that the POS business was not illegal, but operating outside commercial zones and indiscriminately on the streets was an offence.
According to him, reports on the arrested violators would go to the Minister, to determine the next line of action.
The Assistant Director of Enforcement at AEPB, Kaka Bello noted that environmental laws forbid business activities at residential areas and on the streets.
Bello noted that the AEPB Enforcement team was prepared to give effect to the restrictions on the POS operations.
He further explained that those who operate at commercial places will have no issue with the team, but violators of the restrictions will be made to face the wrath of the law.
One of the arrested violators, Solomon Wari and a civil servant said he was arrested while he was in front of his business centre within a residential area in Wuse zone 6 and vowed to desist from operating on the streets
PIAK
