The police command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has asked residents of the territory to report any scavenger operating within the city to the police for prosecution.

The FCT Commissioner of Police (CP), Olatunji Disu, made the call in Abuja on Friday, while briefing journalists on the outcome of the FCT security committee meeting, chaired by the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

The committee had on Jan. 13 announced the ban on the activities of scavengers in the territory.

The scavengers were allowed to operate only on dumpsites located in the outskirts of the city and the suburbs.

The committee also announced a two-week suspension of operation of all ‘pantaker’ markets, selling fairly used items, furniture and other households’ items in the territory.

The move, according to the committee, was to profile them to ensure that only legitimate pantaker operators are allowed across the FCT, as part of efforts to curb the menace of vandalism in the territory.

Mr Disu said that the ban on the operation of scavengers within the city and satellite towns was still in place.

He also said that the profiling of pantaker market operators was ongoing, adding that the FCT Administration was almost through with their documentation.

“Very soon the FCTA departments and agencies would conclude with the documentation of eligible operators, and we would take over from there,” he said.

The commissioner disclosed that the Police, the military, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have embarked on clearance operations having noticed that bandits were moving towards the FCT.

He said that the operations, currently ongoing along the borders in all states bordering the FCT, have contributed significantly to the improved security situation in the territory.

“The minister was briefed on the clearance operations ongoing in all states bordering the FCT.

“These clearance operations have been very successful and contributing to the peace you have been noticing for the past one or two weeks,” he said.

Mr Disu added that the security committee has decided to involve security operatives in other states bordering the FCT in joint meetings, collaborations and operations.

The step, he said, would enable the security agencies to jointly have an outlook on how to police their various states.

“We don’t want a situation where a particular state is doing a clearance operation and the insurgents will be moving to other states where such operation is not taking place,” he said.

Speaking on incidents of arrest of suspected criminals and their release by the courts the following day, the commissioner said that a meeting would be held with the ministry of justice to address the problem.

(NAN)