Ndume Warns: Arresting Abuja’s Street Beggars Isn’t Enough — Wike Must Step Up Support Now!

He emphasized that merely arresting displaced individuals is insufficient and called for comprehensive support measures.

Ndume made this recommendation on Wednesday while Wike presented the ₦1.7 trillion 2025 statutory budget to the National Assembly on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

Referencing successful social welfare initiatives from history, Ndume highlighted Kano State’s approach in the 1970s, where vulnerable groups were identified, sheltered, fed, and trained in vocational skills to promote economic empowerment.

He stated, “The FCT also has indigent people. For those displaced individuals roaming Abuja, arresting them alone isn’t enough. What’s needed is what Kano State did in the 1970s—identify the indigent, establish camps where they can be fed and trained, and ultimately removed from the streets.”

Ndume proposed a transitional support system incorporating shelter, food, healthcare, and skills training as a sustainable way to reintegrate the less privileged and address the root causes of street begging.

Beyond social welfare, he also suggested a new security strategy to tackle rising crime in Abuja.

Ndume recommended adopting a “picketing” system similar to that used in Cairo, Egypt, where police officers are stationed every 200 meters from 6:00 p.m. until dawn.

He explained, “At every 200 meters, there should be a police officer present throughout the night. Their mere presence will enhance security during nighttime.”