Abuja, Feb 1, 2025 – Security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have finalized plans to profile pantaker market operators as part of efforts to curb vandalism and illegal trade within the territory.
This was disclosed by Chief Felix Obuah, Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), during a meeting with pantaker market officials in Abuja on Friday. According to Obuah, the initiative aims to regulate and monitor pantaker market activities to ensure that only legitimate traders operate in the FCT.
The move follows the recent two-week suspension of pantaker market operations, effective January 13, 2025, by the FCT Security Council in response to rising cases of stolen goods being funneled through these markets.
₦1 Billion Worth of Stolen Assets Recovered
Obuah revealed that a recent raid on pantaker markets led to the recovery of public assets worth over ₦1 billion. He stressed that security agencies would now strictly monitor market transactions to prevent further cases of stolen goods being sold.
To achieve this, the FCT Administration (FCTA) has made registration and profiling mandatory for all pantaker operators.
“This will enable us to identify genuine operators and determine who is doing what, how, and where,” Obuah stated. “It will also allow security agencies, Abuja Market Management Ltd, and AMMC to monitor and regulate pantaker activities effectively.”
As part of the new guidelines, operators must maintain a register of suppliers and buyers to ensure accountability.
“We need to know who is supplying you items and who you are selling to. This data is crucial for security tracking and action when necessary,” he added.
Strict Penalties for Dealing in Stolen Goods
The AMMC coordinator warned traders against dealing in stolen or vandalized items, emphasizing that anyone caught with such goods would be treated as an accomplice to a crime and prosecuted.
He urged pantaker operators to alert security agencies if they encounter suspicious sellers and called on them to form a unified association to facilitate smoother communication with the government and security bodies.
Police to Begin Profiling from February 1
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, announced that the profiling exercise would officially commence on February 1, 2025.
“It is a disgrace that this kind of thing is happening in the FCT, and we are determined to put an end to it,” Disu stated. “We will not stop until we sanitize the pantaker business.”
The commissioner also advised traders to demand receipts and proof of ownership from sellers to avoid handling stolen goods.
Pantaker Operators Support Cleanup Efforts
In response to the new measures, Alhaji Abbas Bello, National Chairman of Pantaker Operators, pledged his group’s full support for the initiative, admitting that criminals have infiltrated the trade.
“There are bad elements among us, and we are ready to work with the government to weed them out,” Bello said.
Similarly, Malam Salisu Abubakar, Secretary of the Pantaker Operators Association, assured authorities of their commitment to ending vandalism in the FCT, while Mohammed Kashim, Secretary of Mpape Pantaker, highlighted the industry’s role in job creation.
With the new regulations set to take effect, authorities are determined to restore order and transparency to the pantaker trade in the nation’s capital.
