The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced a major crackdown on street beggars, traders, miscreants, scavengers, and criminal gangs operating within Abuja and its satellite towns.
The operation, code-named “Operation Sweep Abuja of Miscreants, Street Beggars/Traders, Scavengers, and Other Criminal Elements”, was ordered by the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, as part of ongoing efforts to restore law, order, and aesthetic dignity to Nigeria’s capital city.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, the action is in line with the Abuja Environmental Protection Act and other relevant laws.
“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,” the statement read.
Olayinka emphasized that the administration is determined to ensure that Abuja remains a “secured symbol of pride and beauty,” rather than a haven for individuals who often pose security risks to residents.
“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,” he said.
To implement the directive, a Joint Task Force, composed of various security agencies and relevant departments within the FCTA, has been deployed to identify and apprehend violators.
“Arrangements have been made to profile them and hand them over to their home state governments,” Olayinka added.
He reiterated the administration’s commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of all residents in the FCT.
“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,” the statement continued.
The FCTA also urged citizens to report any suspicious movements or individuals through its designated emergency numbers: 08061581938 and 08032003913.
“Security is my job, your job, and our job,” Olayinka concluded.
The initiative comes amid increased concerns about rising petty crimes, the prevalence of “one-chance” syndicates, and the deteriorating aesthetic standards of public spaces in the nation’s capital.
