Federal Capital Territory Crackdown: Wike Issues Two-Week Ban On Panteka Markets Details

Published January 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a fresh ban on the activities of Pantekas (sellers of used items) in the FCT for two weeks.

This decision was part of the resolutions reached during the first Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Security Council meeting of the year 2025, chaired by the FCT Minister on Monday.

Wike announced that the ban on Panteka markets will take effect from Tuesday, 14th January 2025. Additionally, scavenging activities within the Abuja city centre and its surroundings have been restricted, with scavengers now limited to dump sites only.

During the meeting, Wike also revealed that individuals arrested for vandalizing public infrastructure in the nation’s capital will be prosecuted for economic sabotage and attempted murder.

According to a statement released on Twitter (formerly X) by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike emphasized the seriousness of the measures being put in place to maintain security and order in the FCT.