FCTA clears 607 beggars, mentally challenged persons from Abuja streets

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has removed 607 beggars and mentally challenged individuals from Abuja streets between July 2025 and January 2026, officials said.

Mrs. Ukachi Adebayo, Head of Enforcement at the FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS), noted that the exercise was conducted by the Operation Sweep Abuja Clean team.

Of the 607 persons evacuated, 583 were beggars and 23 were mentally challenged individuals.

According to Adebayo, those apprehended were counselled, profiled, and returned to their respective states in collaboration with state governments, where they are expected to undergo rehabilitation.

She noted that many of the individuals often return to the streets, saying the operation is ongoing.

“Some of them were driven by insecurity in their states and ran to Abuja to take refuge, but we will continue to apprehend them and take them back,” she said.

Mrs. Gloria Onwuka, Acting Director of Social Welfare at SDS, revealed that some children begging on the streets were trafficked from other states by unknown individuals, with proceeds collected by those exploiting them.

She added that some women caught begging with children were not the children’s biological mothers, highlighting how begging has become an organized business.

Dr. Peter Olumuji, Secretary of the FCTA Command and Control Centre, explained that Operation Sweep is a joint security initiative involving multiple agencies and departments, instituted by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to rid the city of beggars, miscreants, scavengers, and other criminal elements.

He noted that street beggars pose security threats, sometimes serving as informants for criminals, and can also fall victim to kidnapping or ritual attacks.

The FCTA said the operation will continue to ensure the safety and security of residents, maintain public order, and preserve the city’s aesthetic appeal.

Minister Wike, in October 2024, declared a “war on beggars” in Abuja, citing concerns that the capital was turning into a “beggars’ city.”

He warned that anyone found begging in the city would be removed, stressing that some individuals posing as beggars might actually be criminals.