The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration must ensure it respects the rights of people it describes as beggars, scavengers, and destitute during its arrest of them.

Development Diaries reports that at least 15 of them have been arrested by operatives of the FCTA.

While the reason for doing this has been given as wanting to ‘sanitise the city of every nuisance’, the FCTA needs to consider that forced evacuations and mass arrests targeting individuals who are often unable to sustain themselves financially or secure safe housing may constitute a breach of fundamental human rights, particularly the rights to dignity and adequate living conditions.

Ejecting people from public areas without providing them with good, compassionate alternatives would make those who are already dealing with serious socioeconomic difficulties even more marginalised and suffer.

Additionally, the police-led approach to dealing with destitution could be perceived as criminalising poverty rather than addressing the root causes of homelessness and economic hardship.

This approach risks reducing complex social issues into matters of ‘nuisance’ that are addressed by detainment and forced rehabilitation.

While the FCTA’s plan to provide rehabilitation and skill training for those deemed ‘trainable’ appears well-intentioned, such interventions must be voluntary, dignified, and tailored to each individual’s needs and consent.

Compulsory detainment, on the other hand, could be seen as infringing on the rights of these individuals to freedom of choice and movement.

Furthermore, by categorising people into those ‘trainable’ and those who are not, the FCTA could be introducing discriminatory practices that strip individuals of agency and dignity based on arbitrary criteria.

The lack of clear guidelines around the profiling and repatriation of detainees raises ethical concerns about the selection process and the long-term impacts on individuals who may not qualify for training or do not wish to participate.

It is essential for the administration to adopt a comprehensive, rights-based approach that respects individuals’ autonomy and provides adequate safeguards against undue discrimination.

Development Diaries urges the Nyesom Wike-led FCTA to prioritise compassionate and rights-centered solutions that provide social and economic support rather than punitive measures for the city’s most vulnerable residents