TheCable

The federal capital territory administration (FCTA) says it has arrested 150 beggars as part of efforts to improve security.

Ikharo Attah, chairman, FCTA ministerial task force on city sanitation, said this while briefing journalists after combined operations with other relevant agencies on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to NAN, Attah said the FCTA had observed the increasing rate of beggars in the city throughout Ramadan.

“In the last two days, over 150 beggars have been apprehended across the city, and more arrests are still going on,” he said.

According to him, those apprehended were taken to the Bwari area council centre for rehabilitation.

“Sadly, very few of them stay there and get full rehabilitation, while many others run away and sometimes, they request to be allowed to go back to their states,” he added.

The chairman noted that “some of these persons are being brought by other people into the FCT.”

“You will see young people guarding blind aged men; we felt that is not what the city should be,” he added.

He also noted that the FCTA is targeting the syndicate “that brings them into Abuja in large numbers from states across the country”.

“We realise that the syndicate drops them at strategic positions in town to make money for them. FCT is going all out to get them and ensure that they are prosecuted,” he added.