The Kwara State Government on Wednesday carried out another round of evacuation of street beggars across Ilorin metropolis, with enforcement teams moving through major locations including Geri-Alimi, as part of renewed efforts to sanitise the metropolis and strengthen public safety.

The operation, which extended to Post Office, Tanke Under Bridge, Offa Garage, and other busy corridors, followed a March report by Arewa PUNCH which detailed how begging hotspots remained active despite initial clampdown by the government across the state capital.

That earlier report had highlighted how authorities had begun coordinated evacuations in several parts of Ilorin, citing security risks, environmental concerns, and the growing exploitation of vulnerable persons, particularly women and children.

In that earlier phase, officials of the Kwara State Ministry of Social Development disclosed that more than 90 beggars had been evacuated and profiled from areas including GRA, Tanke, and Offa Garage, while warning that street begging was increasingly being used as a cover for criminal activity.

The development was further underscored by a reported case involving a suspect who allegedly disguised as a beggar to evade detection, an incident government officials described as a major trigger for sustained enforcement.

The Commissioner for Social Development, Hajia Mariam Nnafatima Imam, had at the time warned that the trend posed serious security implications for the state.

"This incident is a serious security concern and a clear indication that street begging could be exploited by criminal elements to perpetrate unlawful acts and threaten public safety," she said.

Imam reaffirmed the government's position that while vulnerable persons would be supported through structured interventions, criminal misuse of street begging would not be tolerated.

"While the state remains committed to protecting vulnerable persons through rehabilitation and empowerment programmes, we will not tolerate the use of street begging as a cover for criminal activities," she added.

"Sending children or dependants to beg on the streets exposes them to exploitation, abuse, and serious security risks," the commissioner cautioned.

Following those initial interventions, the state government has now escalated its response with the inauguration of a dedicated Task Force by the Ministry of Social Development in collaboration with Ilorin South Local Government to sustain enforcement and ensure long-term elimination of street begging.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the ministry's premises in Ilorin, was described by officials as a structured step to consolidate earlier operations and prevent a resurgence of street begging across the metropolis.

The Commissioner commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his backing of social protection initiatives, noting that the administration's approach combines enforcement with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

She explained that the strategy is designed not only to remove beggars from the streets but also to address underlying social vulnerabilities through humane interventions.

The Chairman of Ilorin South Local Government, Hon. Nuhu Majeed Podo, said the Task Force builds on the earlier clean-up exercise reported in March, which had already targeted key areas such as Tanke, Offa Garage, Post Office, and Challenge.

He stated that personnel have been deployed across these locations, equipped with branded jackets for identification and supported with motorcycles to enhance mobility and rapid response.

"The exercise marks the official launch of a coordinated effort to rid major areas of Ilorin metropolis of street begging," Podo stressed.

He added that the initiative is not a one-off operation but a sustained enforcement campaign that will continue until the problem is fully addressed.

"The Task Force is not a temporary intervention but a sustained initiative, and it will remain operational until street begging is completely eradicated," he said.

Also speaking, the Supervisor of the Task Force, Mr. Jimoh Abdulkareem, recalled that areas such as Geri-Alimi and Offa Garage had previously been identified in March as major congestion points for street beggars along traffic routes.

He noted that the renewed evacuation exercise is aimed at addressing both social order and the negative perception the situation creates about the state.

According to him, the current enforcement action is a continuation and expansion of the March operations, designed to ensure sustained compliance and improved urban order across Ilorin metropolis.