The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has begun a sweeping clean-up campaign across Abuja and its satellite towns, targeting street beggars, scavengers, illegal traders, and others identified as constituting a public nuisance.
The operation, codenamed Operation Sweep Abuja, was ordered by the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, as part of a broader effort to enforce the Abuja Environmental Protection Act and other legal frameworks that regulate public order within the territory.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, the enforcement will be carried out by a Joint Task Force comprising security operatives and departments within the FCT Administration.
He stated that individuals apprehended during the exercise would be properly documented and returned to their states of origin.
“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, traders, scavengers, and other criminal elements from the FCT,” the statement noted.
“Our nation’s capital should be a secure and dignified reflection of national pride, not a haven for street dwellers and scavengers, many of whom are often linked to criminal activities.
“To implement this directive, a Joint Task Force involving security agencies and relevant FCT departments has been mobilised to apprehend anyone found begging, scavenging, loitering, or engaging in activities detrimental to the well-being of residents.
“Arrangements are already in place to profile those apprehended and facilitate their repatriation to their respective home states,” he added.
Mr Olayinka further stated that the initiative underscores the administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, urging residents to cooperate with officials involved in the operation.
“Security of lives and property in the FCT remains a top priority for the government. We all have a role to play in achieving a cleaner and safer Abuja,” he said.
This latest action follows growing public concern over the proliferation of street dwellers, unauthorised trading, and the increasing number of scavengers operating across Abuja, raising alarm over both public hygiene and safety.
In recent months, the FCT Administration has stepped up enforcement of city planning laws, with renewed efforts to restore Abuja’s original master plan, including the demolition of illegal structures and the removal of unauthorised developments.