The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said the ban on street begging is still in effect in the territory.
The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa, said the measure was one of the resolutions of the monthly FCT Security Committee meeting held at the official residence of the Minister at Life Camp on Friday in Abuja.
Ohaa said that relevant agencies would not hesitate to enforce the law on anyone caught contravening the ban.
He said that the enforcement of the ban became necessary to curtail the likely influx of beggars and miscreants to the FCT following the ban on street begging by some states in the country.
The permanent secretary said that relevant officers had been directed to intensify public enlightenment campaigns to reiterate the ban on street begging, which had negative security implications.
” We want to ensure that the FCT does not become a safe haven to beggars that may be coming from other states that have banned street begging,” he said.
Ohaa stressed the need for continuous synergy amongst security agencies for effective performance.
He attributed the improved security situation to the fact that security agencies had intensified their crackdown on criminals in the territory.
“All the security agencies resolved that they will work in synergy to make sure that they tackle the menace of insecurity in the city,” Ohaa said.
He said that the reduction in violent crimes like kidnapping and armed robbery as well as improved compliance with traffic regulations was as a result of the improved synergy among security agencies.
Ohaa called on FCT residents to help improve security by always furnishing security operatives with necessary information that would help them in the proper discharge of their duties.
He pledged continuous support of the FCTA to security agencies in the FCT with the provision of logistic assistance for their operations.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Bala Ciroma, who said there had been a significant improvement in security in the FCT, attributed it to a renewed synergy among security agencies.
Alhaji Umar Jibrin, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, said everything was being done to ensure that the infrastructure provided in the city met international standards.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK