The Federal Capital Territory Administration has raised alarm over the increasing involvement of beggars and homeless individuals in criminal networks, particularly their use in moving illicit drugs across Abuja.
Speaking on Monday during the ongoing Operation Sweep enforcement exercise, the Secretary of the FCT Command and Control Centre, Peter Olumuji, said intelligence reports show that vulnerable persons are being deliberately exploited by criminal groups.
He noted that street beggars and persons with disabilities are increasingly being used as couriers for illegal substances, especially at night.
“The sad thing is that, as vulnerable as they have become, they have also become a useful tool in the hands of criminal elements.
“From intelligence we have gathered over time, they use them to courier illicit drugs, especially at night,” the secretary stated.
He explained that the strategy is meant to reduce suspicion and evade security checks.
“Who would suspect that a physically challenged person could courier illicit drugs? But they use them to do that,” he said.
Olumuji also raised concern that some individuals targeted in enforcement raids may themselves be acting as informants for criminal gangs operating in the FCT.
He added that enforcement officers have, at times, faced resistance during operations, with suspects allegedly using mobility aids to attack officials.
According to the FCTA, the exercise is part of wider efforts to tackle street begging, restore public order, and improve security in the capital.
The Head of FCT Enforcement, Ulkacha Adebayo, disclosed that 54 people were evacuated during Monday’s operation, made up of 45 adults and nine children.
“In the past three months, we were able to evacuate about 835 of them. So, if we add it to the number we have now, it’s about 889,” she said.
She added that those removed from the streets are being profiled and sent to rehabilitation centres for welfare support and vocational training.
Adebayo said the operation is ongoing in areas including Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Wuse, and Gwarinpa, under directives from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Abuja continues to struggle with street begging linked to poverty, displacement and inequality, prompting recurring enforcement efforts by authorities to maintain order in the city.
