Govt removes 607 beggars, mentally challenged persons from the streets

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCT) has removed 607 beggars and mentally challenged individuals from the streets of Abuja, from July 2025 to date.

Mrs Ukachi Adebayo, Head of Enforcement, FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS) made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

Adebayo said the exercise was carried out by the Operation Sweep Abuja team, to flush out all criminal elements from the city.

She said that out of the 607 evacuated, 583 were beggars while 23 were mentally challenged individuals.

She added that the beggars and the mentally challenged individuals had been counselled, profiled and taken back to their various states in collaboration with the state governments through their liaison offices.

“What we do when we apprehend the beggars and mentally challenged individuals is to counsel them to be able to profile them.

“After that, we take them to their various liaison offices to be returned to their respective states where they are expected to undergo rehabilitation,” she said.

Noting that the beggars and mentally challenged persons return to the streets after the evacuation, Adebayo said that the operation was ongoing and would continue to take them off the streets of Abuja.

She said: “The more you take them out; the more they resurface.

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

Similarly, Mrs Gloria Onwuka, acting Director, Social Welfare, SDS, said that some of the children begging on the streets were brought in from other states by unidentified individuals to beg and hand over the proceeds to them.

Onwuka added that some of the women that were caught with children, begging on their behalf were not their biological children.

“Begging is now run like a business. People will go and hire people’s children from other states, put them in vehicles very early in the morning, come to Abuja and start begging.

“The families they are hiring these children from don’t even know that this is what they are using their children to do.

“We have caught so many of them like that,” she said.

Also, Dr Peter Olumuji, Secretary, FCTA Command and Control Centre, explained that Operation Sweep was a joint security operation involving all relevant security agencies and FCT’s Secretariats, Departments and Agencies.

Olumuji told NAN that the operation was instituted by the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, to sweep Abuja of miscreants, street beggars, scavengers and other criminal elements.

He pointed out that beggars pose security threats and constitute a nuisance in the city, adding that some of them serve as informants to criminals.

“Not only that, the beggars and mentally challenged individuals also deface the beauty of the capital city, while some of them become victims of kidnapping for rituals and other negative purposes,” he said.

He said that the operation was ongoing and would continue to crackdown on beggars, miscreants and other criminal elements wherever they resurfaced.

NAN recalls that Wike, had in October 2024, declared war on beggars defacing Abuja city and posing security risk.

The minister explained that the move was necessary over concerns that Abuja was turning into a beggars’ city.

“Let me say clearly now, we have declared war on beggars because Abuja is returning to beggar’s city.

“If you know you have a sister, you have a brother who is a beggar on the road; do something, because from next week, we will carry them; we will take them out of the city.

“It is embarrassing that people who come into Abuja, the first thing they see are just beggars on the road,” he said.

Wike further said that sometimes the supposed beggars may not be beggars but criminals pretending to be beggars.

“We will not allow that,” he said.

He explained that the move was to ensure maximum security so that residents could sleep with their two eyes closed. (NAN)

Siting of gold refinery in Lagos: Fed Govt reacts to Northern Elders Forum allegations

Abuja, Jan.18, 2025(NAN) The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has dismissed claims by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the Federal Government sited a gold refinery in Lagos in violation of the federal character principle.

It said the allegations contained in a statement signed by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, were not true and misleading.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Mr Segun Tomori, Special Assistant to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, said the minister had not made any such announcement.

“There was nowhere in the Minister of Solid Minerals announcement that the Federal Government owned or established a gold refinery in Lagos or anywhere for that matter.

“Dr Dele Alake was very clear, concise and emphatic in the announcement of the proposed inauguration of the refinery, that other gold refineries are in the works across the country and all privately-owned by different companies,” he said.

Tomori said the newly established gold refinery was an initiative of Kian Smith, a fully privately-owned mining company, aimed at developing the local gold industry through innovative practices.

He explained that the Federal Government does not compel private companies to locate their operations in any particular part of the federation, as each firm has its own operational and marketing strategy to ensure profitability.

He said the Federal Government acknowledged the doggedness of the company’s founder and Managing Director, Ms Nere Emiko, for delivering a flagship project after years of perseverance, enterprise and leadership.

According to him, the refinery reflects the solid minerals sector’s response to the value-addition policy introduced to discourage the export of raw minerals and to promote local processing and manufacturing.

Tomori said the policy had stimulated the conversion of raw mineral exports into processing factories across the country, generating massive inflows of foreign capital and providing thousands of jobs for Nigerians.

He said this included the 600 million dollars lithium plant in Nasarawa state, the 400 million dollars rare earth plant also in Nasarawa State and the 200 million dollars ASBA lithium plant in Abuja.

Tomori said the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, through its policy reforms, had been creating an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and flourish in the mining sector over the past two years.

He said the Lagos gold refinery and similar projects were clear evidence of the effectiveness of reforms in the solid minerals sector.

“The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development shall continue to encourage more mining companies to set up processing and manufacturing plants across the country.

“ We urge NEF to turn a new leaf and join the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to build a stronger, self-reliant economy that meets the needs of the Nigerian people, ”he said.(NAN)

BREAKING: Drama as Senegal beat Morocco to clinch AFCON glory

Senegal clinched their second Africa Cup of Nations title after edging hosts Morocco 1–0 after extra time in a thrilling 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.

The decisive moment came three minutes into extra time when Pape Gueye fired a superb left-footed strike from the edge of the box, stunning the home crowd in Rabat.

Morocco had earlier missed a golden chance to win in regulation time after VAR awarded a late penalty, but Edouard Mendy saved Brahim Diaz’s effort.

Both sides traded chances in a finely balanced contest, with Morocco chasing a first continental title in over 50 years and Senegal aiming to reclaim their crown.

Senegal started brightly, dictating play early and forcing Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou into sharp saves from Pape Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye.

Morocco responded before half-time, with Nayef Aguerd narrowly missing Abdessamad Ezzalzouli’s dangerous cross across the face of goal.

After the break, the Atlas Lions pressed harder, but Ayoub El Kaabi squandered a clear chance, failing to hit the target from close range.

Senegal threatened on the counter and nearly scored late on, but Bounou produced a fine save to deny substitute Ibrahim Mbaye in the 89th minute.

Extra time proved decisive as Sadio Mané’s clever pass released Pape Gueye, who showed composure and power to beat Bounou with an unstoppable strike.

Morocco pushed desperately for an equaliser, but Mendy stood firm as Senegal defended resolutely to secure a historic victory.

The triumph confirms Senegal’s status among Africa’s elite, sealing a second AFCON title with discipline, resilience and championship pedigree.(NAN)