The Kwara State Government has urged residents of the state to desist from patronising street beggars.
The State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Development, Hajia Maryam Imam, stated this on Tuesday evening while speaking to journalists.
She suggested that they should instead give alms to mosques, churches, orphanage homes, or centres where people truly need assistance.
Imam disclosed that the state has evacuated 94 street beggars and homeless individuals, comprising 43 females and 51 males, from various locations in Ilorin, the state capital.
The evacuation and planned repatriation exercise was coordinated by the State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Development, Hajia Maryam Imam, on Tuesday evening.
The exercise involved officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the state and officials from the Ministry at popular locations such as Geri Alimi, Tanke Junction, Offa Garage, Tipper Garage, and Zango, among others.
The Commissioner added that the state had previously carried out two repatriation exercises and emphasised that street begging is not permitted in Kwara State.
Imam noted that the government had made several public sensitisation efforts to inform people that street begging is not allowed in the state.
She said that the government is collaborating with the Correctional Centre to sentence street beggars to community service or imprisonment while also taking care of children found begging on the streets.
“One thing we do is that we have a Ministry Magistrate who sentences them for one week, or depending on the kind of punishment stipulated. For the children, we ensure that we take care of them until the period when the parents complete their terms of community service,” she said.
She appreciated the administration of Governor Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq for its efforts to rid Kwara State of street begging and other social menaces.
“We sincerely appreciate the administration of Malam Abdurrahman Abdurrazaq for his efforts to ensure that Kwara State is free of street begging, street hawking, and other social menaces around us,” she said.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Drug Abuse, Prevention and Control, Mallam Haliru Olamilekan Mikail, noted that many individuals posing as beggars are actually involved in drug peddling and other illicit activities.
He emphasised that the exercise was not just about street begging but also about ensuring the security of the people.
Mikail explained that some street beggars are informants or work for others, highlighting the need to clamp down on street begging to ensure a safe society.
He added that the government would continue to carry out advocacy and enforcement efforts to address the issue.
