The recently launched Operation Sweep Abuja of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has so far evacuated 210 suspected street beggars, scavengers, one chance syndicate for allegedly constituting a nuisance, and other nefarious activities within the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Acting Director of the Social Welfare Department of the Social Development Secretariat of the FCTA, Mrs. Gloria Onwuka, disclosed this when she took the apprehended beggars to the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre in Bwari on Thursday.
Mrs. Onwuka said out of those arrested in continuation of its ‘operation sweep Abuja clean’, include 58 females, 72 children, and 80 men.
She explained that due to outcry over criminal activities, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had directed officials of the department to step up the arrest of unhoused persons.
Onwuka said, “Most of the beggars go even to the extent of hiring people’s children to come on the road and beg. And there are families where they are hiring these children, we don’t even know that this is what they are using their children to do.”
On the issue of one-chance, she explained that “there is one that our officers picked at night by 2 am. He was carrying a machete with POS and different bank ATMs.
“We have arrested 80 men since the commencement of the exercise, the females are 58, while the children are 72 in number. The exercise will continue until Abuja streets are free of beggars.”
On security, the Director of FCTA Security Services Department, Adamu Gwary, said those arrested were committing degrees of crime in the territory.
Gwary, represented by the Secretary Command and control of the Department, Mr. Peter Olumuji, said the activities of the beggars was a threat to the security of the residents.
He said, “We want to believe that most of the people arrested have committed degrees of crime and other things in the nation’s capital.
“The security concern of most of these nuisances within the FCT has become a source of great worry to the residents. And the Minister has given that directive to the Commissioner of Police and all other relevant agencies to ensure that the FCT is rid of all these security threats,” Gwary said.