The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has directed security agencies to intensify surveillance across Abuja as the festive season approaches.
At the relaunch of Operation Sweep on Tuesday, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, said the minister had provided the logistics needed to restart the operation.
He explained that a joint team comprising the military, police, DSS and other agencies had already been deployed to strategic parts of the city.
Dantawaye urged the operatives to step up their efforts and reduce criminal activities within the capital.
He noted that Wike initiated the renewed operation out of concern for the safety of residents and visitors.
The CP added that Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police had endorsed the exercise to keep crime under control during the yuletide.
He said the team would focus on areas vulnerable to kidnapping and banditry to ensure residents remain safe.
“The FCT minister, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, has given complete support, especially in terms of logistics for this operation. He has given approval and I am sure that by the time we’ll be leaving here later, I mean today, the funds for fueling, for servicing of the vehicles and even allowances for the men will have dropped into an account that we can assess.
“We were trying to perfect our legal requirements to that effect before we can delve into that. But naturally, we wouldn’t want to have people loitering around the cities and by way of claiming that they are beggars. Because we know that amongst people that come, some of them that claim that they are beggars are not exactly beggars. Most people come with criminal intent.
“We’re going to profile them and see those we will take off the streets that are criminally minded, even if they claim they are beggars. But for the beggars, well, we work closely, like I told you, looking at the legal backing, working closely with Abuja environmental protection bodies to see if there’s a need for us to take them away from the streets or not”.