The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has raised serious concerns over the alarming increase in child beggars within Abuja, condemning the disturbing trend of families allegedly renting out their children to beggars.
The administration described the practice as a growing business venture that exploits vulnerable children and compromises the safety and image of the nation’s capital.
Speaking during a field operation on Thursday, the Acting Director of the Social Welfare Department under the Social Development Secretariat, Mrs. Gloria Onwuka, revealed that the administration has intensified its clampdown on street begging and related crimes through the ongoing enforcement exercise known as Operation SWEEP Abuja Clean.
According to Onwuka, investigations have shown that many of the children, some as young as 8 to 10 years old, are trafficked from the northern regions of the country into Abuja. Some of them, she noted, sneak into the territory by hiding in trailers transporting goods from the North, only to be deployed as tools for begging once they arrive.
“So far, we have apprehended 210 beggars from different parts of the FCT,” she stated. “These include 80 men, 58 women, and 72 children.” She emphasized that the Administration is committed to addressing the issue holistically, ensuring that all those found loitering and begging are taken off the streets and processed accordingly.
Explaining the procedure, Onwuka said that once the beggars and miscreants are apprehended, they are taken to the FCT Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre located in Bwari. At the facility, they are provided with basic amenities, properly profiled, and prepared for repatriation to their respective states of origin.
She assured the public that the centre is well-equipped to meet the essential needs of the individuals in custody, offering them temporary shelter and rehabilitation services in humane conditions.
Onwuka further disclosed that the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has given a firm directive to the Social Development Secretariat to purge the city of all forms of street begging and criminality.
According to her, the Minister expressed deep concern over the growing number of beggars and street children, which he believes threatens the integrity and security of Abuja.
In support of the operation, the FCTA Director of Security Services, Mr. Adamu Gwary, reiterated that Operation SWEEP Abuja Clean is not only aimed at removing beggars but also at curbing rising criminal activities within the metropolis.
He stressed that the initiative is part of a broader security strategy designed to make the capital safer and more orderly for law-abiding residents.
Gwary added that the influx of unregistered individuals and miscreants into the city poses a serious security risk, hence the renewed effort to sanitize Abuja and restore its status as a model city for the nation.