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Wike orders immediate evacuation of miscreants, traders and scavengers from Abuja streets.
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Joint task force begins operation to enforce Abuja Environmental Protection Act.
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Offenders to be profiled and sent back to their home states.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has launched a joint task force to rid Abuja and its satellite towns of street beggars, traders, “one chance” syndicates, scavengers and other groups described as a threat to public safety.
This was disclosed in a statement by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister, who said the clean-up exercise, code-named “Operation Sweep Abuja of miscreants, street beggars/traders, scavengers and other criminal elements”, is already underway.
Olayinka stated that the directive aligns with the Abuja Environmental Protection Act and other relevant laws to restore sanity to the city.
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He emphasised that Abuja must remain a secure symbol of pride and beauty rather than a haven for street beggars and scavengers, whom authorities allege are often linked to criminal activities.
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“To achieve this, a joint task force comprising security agencies and relevant FCT Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) has been deployed to apprehend anyone found begging, scavenging, loitering or engaging in acts inimical to the well-being of residents,” the statement read.
He added that arrangements have been made to profile offenders and hand them over to their respective state governments.
Wike urged residents to support the effort, noting that the safety of lives and property is paramount. “Security is my job, your job and our job. Report suspicious movement to 08061581938 and 08032003913,” the statement added.
