The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, warned Saturday that anyone who has no legitimate business in Abuja must leave the capital or face repatriation to their state of origin.
During a public parade, Sanusi presented more than 300 suspects who had been arrested at a number of flashpoints across the city, including unfinished buildings that were being used as hideouts. The police said the suspects had been living in these incomplete structures without any lawful means of livelihood.
According to the CP, some of the offenders had disguised themselves as scavengers and were accused of snatching phones and handbags from parked vehicles. “If you don’t have a place to stay in FCT, go back to where you are coming from,” Sanusi said. “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 added that the police would screen the arrested individuals and repatriate those who have no business in the capital. “Uncompleted buildings are not meant to harbour criminals. The fact that the buildings are uncompleted does not mean that the owners are the ones housing them. Most of the miscreants are illegal occupants,” he said.
Those who are deemed to need court proceedings will be charged, but will remain in custody until the process is completed. “Those that need to be charged to court will be charged, but until then, they will remain in custody,” Sanusi explained.
He vowed that the operation to rid the FCT of crime would be sustained, describing it as an everyday exercise. “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,” he added.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
