Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project, SERAP, has threatened to sue the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, over his recent threat to arrest beggars Abuja.
SERAP which issued the warning in a post on its official X handle on Wednesday advised Wike to withdraw his threat or face legal action.
SERAP said instead of arresting beggars, the minister should provide opportunities to help the beggars rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society, stressing that no one should be criminalised for their socio-economic status.
Didactic Information Hut recalls that Wike had during the flag-off ceremony for construction of a road in the Katampe District of Abuja on Tuesday, threatened a crackdown on beggars, announcing that enforcement agents would start apprehending them from Monday next week.
Wike had said, “Let me state clearly that we have declared war; Abuja is turning into a beggar city.
“If you know you have a sister or brother who is a beggar, please, from next week, we will take them away. It is embarrassing that people will come in and the first thing they will see are just beggars on the road.”
The minister had alleged that some of the individuals may be criminals pretending to be beggars.
He said he is giving them a ‘public holiday’ till Sunday, and from Monday, he will remove them.
But SERAP in its post, urged the minister to immediately address the socio-economic rights of marginalised individuals in the FCT.
“The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, must immediately withdraw his apparently unlawful threat to arrest beggars in Abuja or face legal action,” SERAP said, stressing that no one should be criminalised for engaging in life-sustaining economic activities or because of their economic or social status.
SERAP further urged Mr Wike to immediately begin to address the root causes of poverty and the violations of the economic and social rights of particularly marginalised individuals in Abuja.
The Group also advised the minister to address the plight of those experiencing homelessness and those living in poverty, and not demonise and criminalise them.