Security Agencies Begin Profiling Pantaker Operators in FCT

In a bid to regulate the operations of second-hand goods markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), security agencies have initiated a profiling exercise for pantaker market operators starting from February 1, 2025. The move, confirmed by the Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Chief Felix Obuah, is designed to enhance monitoring and curb criminal activities associated with these markets.

Pantaker markets specialize in the sale of used items, including furniture, home appliances, and scrap materials. Obuah explained that the profiling process aims to ensure that only legitimate operators are allowed to conduct business, in light of recent concerns about vandalism and the sale of stolen goods.

The decision to implement the profiling initiative followed a suspension of pantaker market operations for two weeks, announced by the FCT Security Council on January 13, 2025. This decision came after a police raid uncovered over N1 billion worth of stolen public property being sold in these markets.

As part of the new regulation, operators are now required to register and maintain detailed records of their buyers and suppliers. This initiative aims to create a transparent system that will help security agencies track the movement of goods and identify any illegal transactions.

Obuah warned that any operator caught selling stolen goods would face arrest and prosecution. He also urged the operators to form a formal union to help streamline communication with government and security agencies.

In addition, the Director of the Security Services Department at the FCT Administration, Adamu Gwary, reiterated that only registered and recognized operators would be allowed to reopen their businesses after the profiling process. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, also emphasized the need for operators to verify the origins of goods they purchase, stating that the persistent issues within the pantaker sector would no longer be tolerated.

The National Chairman of the Pantaker Operators, Alhaji Abbas Bello, voiced the association’s support for the profiling process and expressed their commitment to working with the authorities to eliminate criminal elements from the sector. The association’s secretary, Malam Salisu Abubakar, similarly pledged to cooperate with security agencies in the fight against vandalism and other illegal activities in the FCT.