The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Taskforce on City Sanitation has conducted a raid targeting ?one chance? spots in Abuja, leading to the arrest of several suspected criminals. The operation also resulted in the impounding of several vehicles.

The raids were carried out in key areas, including Area 1, Apo Bridge to Apo Roundabout, Berger Roundabout, and the busy Banex Junction, as part of efforts to combat criminal activities during the festive season.

Speaking to reporters after the late Wednesday operation, Adamu Gwary, Director of the Security Services Department of the FCTA, emphasized that the initiative aims to enhance security across the capital during and after the festive period.

Gwary represented by the secretary, Command and Control Centre, Peter Olumuji said the exercise that started early in the week is going to last throughout the festive season.

According to him, the raid also brought about the arrest of four beggars suspected to be criminals.

Gwary said: ?We started on Monday, and we are going to sustain it all through the festive period till January next year.

?This is because, if we do not do it, criminal elements will capitalise on any little gap to continue their nefarious activities?.

He explained that the operation, which was being led by the command and control centre, was designed to curb the menace of one chance operators, illegal motor parks, and beggars in the capital city.

?You know the issue of one chance has been on the front burner in FCT. This operation was designed to support ongoing efforts by the Nigeria police and other security agencies to rid the city of criminals posing as commercial drivers,? he said.

He also said that several suspected vehicles used for one chance operations were impounded by the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), as part of efforts to secure the FCT.

?Like we all know, we are approaching the festive period, and these criminal elements will try to play a fast one in getting more financial benefits.

?The Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has directed that the operation be sustained so that every commuter in the FCT will be able to move safely, from one point to the other, without any form of harassment,? he said.

He equally said seven beggars have been apprehended for fluting the ban on street begging in some areas of the federal capital.

Gwary said the beggars are in the custody of the FCTA?s Social Development Secretariat for profiling and further action

?We have also apprehended a suspect for impersonating the Nigeria police. The suspect was caught with a very long locally fabricated knife inside his vehicle.

?He claimed to be a policeman but from what we have seen, that may not be true. So, we have handed him over to the police for profiling and further investigation,? he said.

He encouraged FCT residents to be vigilant when boarding any vehicle, especially in the night.

Gwary said: ?If there?s nothing else you can remember, just try and remember the colour and the make of the vehicle, and if you can also get the plate number of that vehicle, just get it.

?Before you enter any vehicle, send the details to someone, so that if anything happens to you, we can quickly track that number and apprehend the suspect?

Mrs Deborah Osho, Head of Operations, FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), said the operation was being conducted in the evening, though night, because that was the time most of the one chance syndicates operate.

?People close from work in the evening, tired, and in a hurry to go home, will take any vehicle that is available.

?The operation is not only to apprehend one chance operators and impound their vehicle but also to destabilise their operations and make the city very hot for them to operate,? she said.

Osho said more than 30 vehicles were impounded during last Tuesday?s operation alone, adding that a similar number were impounded on Wednesday.

On his part Mustapha Yunusa of the Social Development Secretariat, described the operation, particularly enforcing the ban on street begging as a ?huge success?.

Yunusa said the number of beggars operating in front of the National Mosque has drastically reduced from over a 100 to just four.

?Usually, the National Mosque is a depot for beggars. If you go to National Mosque, you will apprehend not less than a 100, but today, because of the operation, we apprehended only four beggars.

?This shows that the special task force is working,? he said.

He explained that some of the apprehended beggars that were trainable would be rehabilitated and trained in various self-sustaining skills while those that could not be trained would be repatriated and be united with their families. (The Nation)

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