FCT Police Raise Alarm Over Minors Used in Abuja Traffic Robbery, Paid ₦500

The FCT Police Command has raised the alarm over the alleged recruitment of minors into traffic robbery operations in Abuja, with some children reportedly paid as little as ₦500 to help criminal gangs target motorists.

The FCT Commissioner of Police disclosed this during an engagement with residents, warning that some children posing as beggars are allegedly being used to distract drivers while adult members of robbery gangs steal valuables from vehicles trapped in traffic.

The commissioner explained that the children typically approach motorists under the guise of asking for money or assistance. While the driver’s attention is diverted, other gang members allegedly move to another side of the vehicle to take valuables.

“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.

According to the police chief, children involved in the alleged operations may receive between ₦500 and ₦1,000 after a successful theft. He also raised concerns over the severity of some attacks, citing a case in which a woman reportedly suffered a serious injury to her ear when a robber attempted to snatch her earring.

The commissioner further alleged that some of the minors had been brought into Abuja from other states and abandoned for criminal activities. He said the command was treating the children differently from adult suspects because of their age.

“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,” he explained.

The police said they also engage the children to gather information that could help identify the adults allegedly controlling the robbery operations. The command said the wider response would focus not only on arrests but also on protecting, rehabilitating and reuniting vulnerable children with their families.

The warning highlights growing concerns about traffic-related crime and child exploitation in the FCT. Police stressed that the allegations remain under investigation and urged the public to remain alert around congested roads while avoiding the blanket labelling of vulnerable minors as criminals.