Daud Olatunji
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested more than 300 suspects in raids on crime flashpoints across Abuja, including uncompleted buildings allegedly being used as hideouts.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, said those found without identifiable means of livelihood would be screened, with some facing prosecution and others liable to be repatriated to their states of origin.
Sanusi issued the warning on Saturday while parading the suspects arrested during operations conducted across the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the command would no longer tolerate the use of uncompleted buildings and scavenger points as shelters or operational bases for criminal activities.
According to him, some of the suspects allegedly disguised themselves as scavengers while engaging in crimes, including snatching mobile phones and handbags and breaking into vehicles parked by residents.
The police commissioner said the fact that a building was under construction did not make it legitimate accommodation for people suspected of criminal activities.
“If you don’t have a place to stay in FCT, go back to where you are coming from. We will not tolerate people in the presence of searching for livelihood to be committing crimes by snatching phones, breaking into people’s vehicles when parked,” Sanusi said.
He added: “We won’t tolerate or accommodate people who have no business being in Abuja. Those who have no identifiable means of livelihood, we have arrested many of them.
“They will be screened, then those that need to be repatriated back to their states of origin will be repatriated.”
The commissioner, however, said the fate of the arrested persons would be determined after screening, stressing that suspects found to have committed offences would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“Those that need to be charged to court will be charged, but until then, they will remain in custody,” he said.
Sanusi also disclosed that the command had been directed by the Inspector-General of Police to intensify efforts to curb criminal activities in the nation’s capital.
He said the operation would not be a one-off exercise, as the command planned sustained raids on suspected criminal hideouts and scavenger points.
“We are going to continue to raid hideouts, we are going to continue to raid scavenger points, especially those in incomplete buildings.
“We have been mandated by the Inspector General of Police to ensure that we bring this down as much as possible. The raid is going to be an everyday thing,” the CP said.
The development comes amid heightened police efforts to tackle street crime and other criminal activities in parts of Abuja, with the command focusing particularly on locations identified as potential hideouts for suspected criminals.
The police did not disclose the specific states to which suspects found eligible for repatriation would be returned or provide a breakdown of those arrested according to the offences allegedly committed.
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