WIKE ORDERS CRACKDOWN ON STREET BEGGARS, SCAVENGERS, AND ILLEGAL TRADERS IN ABUJA

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a sweeping crackdown against street begging, illegal trading, and scavenging in Abuja, citing growing security and sanitation concerns.
The directive, which was released on Wednesday July 9th through Wike’s Special Assistant on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, announced the activation of a Joint Task Force under the “Operation Sweep Abuja Clean” campaign. The exercise targets street beggars, scavengers, loiterers, and unregulated vendors who are allegedly being used by criminal networks.
“All violators will be apprehended, profiled, and returned to their home states,” the statement said. Wike emphasized that Abuja must reflect the orderliness and dignity befitting a national capital, urging residents to report suspicious activities via official hotlines.
The move has sparked debate among human rights groups, even as city residents express cautious optimism about improved cleanliness and reduced crime.