By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun “operation sweep”, to clean up miscreants, street beggars, traders, scavengers, and other criminal elements from the streets of Abuja
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Olayinka, the operation is a directive by the FCT minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to rid Abuja and the satellite towns of all forms of nuisance, including “one chance” syndicate.
One chance refers to a form of robbery where criminals pose as transport operators to lure unsuspecting passengers into their vehicles with the intent to rob them of their valuables.
The move was in line with the Abuja Environmental Protection Act, and other relevant laws, Olayinka said.
“Our nation’s capital should be a secured 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 Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies, has been deployed to apprehend any persons found begging, scavenging, loitering, or engaging in other acts inimical to the security and well-being of the residents.”
“Arrangements have been made to profile them and hand them over to their various state governments.”
“Security of lives and properties of residents of the FCT is of paramount importance to the government, we must all join hands to achieve a safer Abuja,” he said.
He urged residents to be security cautious and to report any suspicious movement to these phone numbers -08061581938 and 08032003913.
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