The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, Ajao Adewale, says the joint task force of the Operation Sweep arrested 273 destitute and miscreants, and impounded more than 670 vehicles for various security-related offences in the past month.
The CP stated this at a press briefing on Tuesday, following a meeting of the core security council of the FCT.
Adewale noted the success of the operation, adding that the minister had given the directive to continue the operations to ensure that the streets of the FCT were safe for residents.
He added that the minister had also tasked the security chiefs to address the issues of shanties springing up around the city, which he stated was an issue of concern.
“As we speak, more than 273 destitute are in the SDS Centre in Bwari, undergoing profiling.
“Their welfare is being taken care of, but they need to be relocated to where they belong.
“Within the same period, more than 670 vehicles were impounded, relating to issues of improper documentation, tinted glasses, which we all know is not acceptable here, issues of covered number plates, and issues of operating without appropriate authority.
“You are going to operate or join Uber, join Bolt, but you are doing all these little things that are creating a problem of this ‘one-chance’, many of them are arrested. We have nothing less than 675 of them,” Adewale said.
The CP also explained that cases related to illegal begging and the destitute had been referred to the Social Development Secretariat of the FCT Administration, while those related to drug peddling had been referred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
“All those who fall within the destitute and illegal begging have been taken over by the SDS.
“But for those found committing offences that relate to drug peddling, those have been handed over to the NDLEA, and that is the statistic we have.
“So, different departments have different statistics on the figure that has been shifted to them, although we have a general figure”, he said.
Speaking on the issue of ‘one-chance’ in the FCT, the commissioner said security agencies were increasing visibility across the city, while urging residents to take personal security seriously when joining vehicles
“What we are doing for now is to increase the visibility of security personnel. Bus stops, all these places that have been identified as places for them to pick their soft targets.
“And we are equally encouraging the citizens to key into the idea of boarding vehicles at designated bus stops, preferably in groups, and be security conscious when you are joining vehicles.
“The minister has also talked about increasing illumination in the city, so that at night, when you are within any location, you are safe, people see you, and you are protected. We are working on that as well,” Adewale concluded.
