The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has revealed new tricks adopted by criminal gangs in the city who recruit children and pay them as little as ₦500 to assist in robbing motorists during traffic congestion.
Speaking during an engagement with residents, the FCT Commissioner of Police disclosed that the children, many of whom pose as beggars, are allegedly used to distract drivers while adult gang members steal valuables from vehicles.
According to the police chief, the minors approach vehicles under the guise of seeking alms or assistance, drawing the attention of motorists while other members of the gang operate from the opposite side of the vehicle.
“These children are being recruited by these bigger ones. They would be the ones that would stop the vehicle or approach you as if they are begging you for something, distracting you so that when you are paying attention to them, these other ones would be stealing from the other side of your vehicle,” he said.
The commissioner further alleged that after successful thefts, the children are rewarded with between ₦500 and ₦1,000.
“They just meet these people that if they are able to steal anything, they will just give them ₦500 or ₦1,000 for them to go and eat,” he stated.
The police boss also recounted cases where traffic robbery suspects allegedly inflicted serious injuries on victims. He cited an incident involving a woman whose ear was torn during an attempt to snatch her earring.
“We have gotten some of them that were responsible for removing a woman’s ear because they want to remove her earring. They pulled it and the ear was cut,” he said.
The commissioner alleged that some of the children involved were brought into Abuja from other states and abandoned for the purpose of carrying out criminal activities.
“Unfortunately, most of these children were brought in from another state and dumped here for just this purpose,” he claimed.
Because many of the minors are underage, the police said they cannot be prosecuted in the same manner as adults. Instead, the command is working with social welfare authorities to rehabilitate the children and reunite them with their families.
“When you get them, because of their age, you can’t take them to court. But we already have a place for them with the social welfare so that they can be rehabilitated and reunited with their families,” the commissioner explained.
He added that the police also gather intelligence from some of the children to identify the adults allegedly directing the operations.
“We also talk to them and give them the same ₦1,000 or ₦500 to tell us who is sending them to do the job,” he said.
The commissioner’s warning comes amid growing concerns over traffic-related robberies, child exploitation, and public safety in parts of the FCT.
The police, however, noted that the allegations remain under investigation and suggested that affected children should be protected and rehabilitated rather than broadly labelled criminals.
(Ripples)