SERAP Threatens Legal Action Against Wike Over Planned Eviction of Beggars in Abuja

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has vowed to take legal action against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, if he proceeds with his plan to evict beggars from the streets of Abuja.

In a statement released on Wednesday, SERAP described Wike’s directive as unlawful, arguing that individuals should not be criminalized for engaging in life-sustaining activities due to their economic or social status.

“Minister Nyesom Wike must immediately withdraw his unlawful threat to remove beggars from Abuja’s streets, or face legal consequences. Criminalizing people for their economic conditions violates their basic rights,” the organization stated.

Wike had earlier announced plans to clear beggars from Abuja, citing that their presence has become an embarrassment to the city. He also expressed concern that some individuals posing as beggars were actually contributing to insecurity.

The minister warned that a grace period for families or individuals to remove beggars from the streets would end on Sunday, after which a citywide crackdown would begin on Monday.

Wike made this declaration on Tuesday during the flag-off of road construction projects in the Katampe District of Abuja.