The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a five-day ultimatum for street beggars in Abuja to leave the city. This directive, announced on Tuesday during the launch of a new road project in the Katampe District, is part of efforts to curb what Wike referred to as a national embarrassment.
While addressing the audience at the road construction ceremony, which connects Ring Road 1 to the Judges’ Quarters, Wike stressed the urgency of clearing the streets of beggars. According to him, their presence undermines the image of the capital and reflects poorly on the country.
Wike also made it clear that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would take firm action against those who fail to comply with the deadline by Sunday. He emphasized that allowing beggars to roam freely within the nation’s capital is unacceptable and urged families to take responsibility for their relatives who depend on begging.
“Having beggars scattered across the FCT is a disgrace to the government and Nigeria as a whole,” Wike stated, highlighting that the FCT Administration is set to begin enforcing the removal of beggars starting next week.
Wike further explained, “While we are committed to improving the infrastructure in Abuja, security remains a key priority. We cannot allow the presence of beggars in various parts of the city, as some of them could be involved in criminal activities or act as informants. This is an embarrassment not only to the FCT but also to visitors.”
He urged families of the beggars to step in and help remove them from the streets before the deadline. “They have until Sunday to vacate the area,” he warned.
Wike reiterated that the government is focused on improving infrastructure and tackling insecurity in the FCT. Allowing individuals who could pose a potential security risk would not be tolerated. “The grace period for them to leave the streets is from now until Sunday,” he concluded.
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