By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Operation Sweep Task Force Team on Monday in a combined effort with security agencies launched a night raid to free Abuja of criminals and all forms of criminality.
The combined security agencies with the FCTA took an all night dimension raid on major roads within the city to sanitize the city of miscreants among other forms of criminality.
The coordinated nocturnal effort is aimed at tightening possible loose ends of where criminals hid to carry out their activites during the festive holidays.
According to the Secretary of the FCT Security Command and Control Centre, Dr. Peter Olumuji, the operation is strategically divided into sectors to ensure total coverage.
He explained, “from the Kubwa-Bwari axis to the Gwagwalada-Abaji corridor and the bustling Metro city center, security personnel have been deployed to maintain a 24-hour presence, adding that it is a multi-sectoral approach ensures that no corner of the FCT is left unmonitored, creating a seamless web of security that shifts fluidly from day to night.”
“A major focus of this current move is the crackdown on dispatch riders who have been doubling as couriers for controlled substances, and working alongside the NDLEA, the task team is actively identifying and intercepting riders carrying cocaine and other illegal drugs.”
Dr. Olumuji disclosed that several arrests have already been made, adding that the Commissioner of Police will provide specific numbers during an upcoming press briefing, noting that the message remains clear: the city’s logistics network will not be a haven for drug trafficking.
It was observed that the night raid also features storming intensified “stop and search” operations, which is a collaborative effort between the Nigerian Police and various sister agencies”, he described.
These checkpoints, Olumuji said are designed to deter “one chance” operators and other criminals who seek to take advantage of residents during the Yuletide season.
“By maintaining a visible presence on every major road, the team aims to ensure that the economic desperation of a few does not translate into pain for the law-abiding citizens of the FCT.”
” Residents have begun to take notice, with many commuters applauding the Minister of the FCT for sustaining such a rigorous security presence. The sight of uniforms at regular intervals has provided a sense of relief for those traveling late”, he stated.
Furthermore, Dr. Olumuji assured the public that they should move without fear, stating that the FCT is safe and that a security checkpoint is almost always within reach of any location in the city.
” To further bolster public safety, the FCT Security Command has emphasized the importance of community intelligence. Residents are encouraged to “say something if they see something” by contacting the police control room at 080-3200-3913. This rapid-response system is designed to dispatch a security team within a “twinkling of an eye,” ensuring that any suspected threat is neutralized before it can escalate, allowing families to sleep with “both eyes closed”, he stated.
Furthermore, Head of Social Development Secretariat (SDS) Enforcement, Ukachi Adebayo explained that her department operating under the Operation Sweep umbrella is focused on picking destitutes and beggars off the streets. Once apprehended, these individuals are taken to a central holding ground where their welfare is prioritized, and they are assessed for further intervention.
“The SDS strategy is one of rehabilitation and repatriation rather than mere punishment, as individuals willing to learn are enrolled in vocational training programs to give them a fresh start, while others are repatriated to their home states ” she said.
She reiterated the department’s resolve to continue apprehending those in need of relocation, so as to keep the nation’s capital orderly and secured for everyone.
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