By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) is collaborating with security agencies to commence arrest of hawkers, corporate beggars and other illegals in the federal Capital Territory.
The Director of AEPB, Dr Hassan Abubakar, made this known on Thursday in Abuja.
Abubakar said the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will partner with them to ensure that the exercise is effective and successful.
He said that the board would commence the exercise from the pedestrian bridges at Nicon Junction, up to Deidei, down to other city centres in the FCT.
He said, “This is a very important exercise, a very special clean-up; we are going out for, exercises that come across all the departments of the board.
“We are going to remove all the rubbish on the road, the waste, illegal traders at the pedestrian bridges, corridors of the roads and streets.
“It is a very basic assignment; we are going to observe gutters, if there is any waste, our contractors will remove them because they have been paid for that.
“The Federal Capital City must be clean, that is our target and we must achieve it.
“We are also going to look at beggars that are on the streets, particularly those commercial workers moving at night along the Nicon Junction, Amingo Super Market at Wuse II, our people are ready to arrest them’’.
The News Agency reports that the board had earlier written many warning letters to the people engaged in such illegal activities about the exercise, using the media and other means to reach them.
He said the people had refused to acknowledge the warnings and heed the board’s advice.
According to him, the board has a mobile court where offenders will face prosecution after arrest.
Abubakar urged members of the public, which he said were encouraging such illegal activities by patronising the hawkers, to support AEPB`s campaign.
