The revelation came as the FCTA intensified its clampdown on street begging and criminal activities through its ongoing operation, SWEEP Abuja Clean.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sounded the alarm over the disturbing trend of families renting out their children to beggars, warning that begging has evolved into an organised business threatening the security and social fabric of Nigeria’s capital city.

The revelation came as the FCTA intensified its clampdown on street begging and criminal activities through its ongoing operation, SWEEP Abuja Clean.

Gloria Onwuka, Acting Director of Social Welfare at the Social Development Secretariat, disclosed the shocking development on Thursday after officials apprehended several street beggars and miscreants during enforcement operations.

Onwuka revealed that children as young as eight to 10 years old are being trafficked into the FCT to participate in begging rings, further complicating the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation in the territory.

She asserted that begging has become a form of business in the territory, noting that families are renting out their children to beggars. She stated that the territory has seen a surge in the influx of child beggars, many of whom arrive by boarding trailers loaded with goods from the northern part of the country.

According to Onwuka, 210 beggars have been picked up from various roads across the FCT, comprising 80 men, 58 women, and 72 children.

Onwuka explained that under the operation’s design, those apprehended are taken to the FCT Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre in Bwari, where they are accommodated, profiled, and prepared for repatriation to their various states of origin.

She emphasised that the facility is well-equipped with the essentials of life to ensure their comfort during their stay.

Highlighting the urgency of the problem, Onwuka said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has issued a marching order to the Social Development Secretariat to rid the capital city of beggars and criminals, safeguarding law-abiding residents and restoring Abuja’s image.

Also speaking on the issue, FCTA Director of Security Services, Adamu Gwary, emphasised that Operation SWEEP Abuja Clean was conceived not only to eliminate begging but also to tackle broader criminal activities fueling insecurity and fear among residents.