By Taofeek LAWAL, Abuja
As part of its commitment to rid the Federal Capital City (FCC) of nuisance and enhance security in the nation’s capital,. the Federal Capital Terriory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday apprehended over 150 beggars from the city.
Chairman, FCTA Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, stated this while briefing journalists after a combined operation of his team and other relavant agencies like the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) combed the nook and cranny of the city.
Attah said the FCTA has observed with dismay the alarming rate of beggars in the city due to high level of arms giving and charity by individuals and corporate organisations especially during the Ramadan period.
“In the last two days, over 150 beggars have been apprehended across the city and more arrest is still going on,” he said.
He said those apprehended were taken to the Bwari Area Council Center for rehabilitation and added that FCTA has a functional rehabilitation and training centre for such persons.
He added, “Sadly, very few of them stay there and get full rehabilitation, while many others find their way to run and sometimes they request to be allow to go back to their states. But what is very fundamental and cardinal is that some of these people are being brought by other persons into the FCT. You will see young people guarding blind aged men, we felt that is not what the city should be. We also felt for them , that is why the FCTA is investing resources to train them. However, we are targeting very strongly the syndicate that brings them into Abuja in large numbers from states across the country. We realize that the syndicate drops them at strategic positions in town to make money for them. FCT is going all out to get them and ensure that they are prosecuted.”
Head of Monitoring and Inspection, AEPB, Mr Kaka Bello described begging as nuisance-related while adding that AEPB was determined to rid the city of all kinds of environmental nuisance.