Date: 2013-05-20

Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State is noted for its peaceful co-existence among the different ethnic groups of people with their different cultures. As the saying goes: Ilorin is a city very close to divine paradise(aljanah), while Kwara State is a State of harmony because of its peace and harmony. People from within the State and from all other  parts of Nigeria come to Ilorin to settle, many of them build their own houses and make their homes.
But as normal and healthy people settle in Ilorin, so also are destitute, beggars, drug addicts and lunatic-populate at the major streets and roads in the city, disturbing commuters and vehicular traffic, begging for alms. During the process of begging for alms or assistance, some of these beggars have serious or fatal accidents.
Working through the State Ministry of Social Development, Culture and Tourism, the Kwara State Government has embarked on a purposeful and people-friendly policy programme by which these beggars, drug addicts, lunatics and other form of destitute are being gradually and systematically evacuated from the major streets and roads in the Ilorin metropolis. These beggars and lunatics have been an eye-sore on our major streets and roads as they tend to disfigure the image and pride of the State, giving the State a bad name, a State of beggars and lunatics. Whereas many of these beggars and lunatics are not indigenes of this State, they come from other States of the federation.
This evacuation programme of beggars and lunatics from the streets in the State is a continuous exercise. It will continue until the State will be free of beggars and lunatics from the streets and roads of our towns and cities. For example, the programme has taken place on some major streets and roads in Ilorin. These are on Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ahmadu Bello way, Murtala Mohammed way, Unity Road Roundabout, Maraba Market Area, General Post Office Area, Challenge Bus Stop Area and Tanke Roundabout.
As these beggars are capture and evacuated from the Streets, they are being taken to government resettlement homes. At the resettlement homes, they are counseled for about seven days depending on the number of beggars and lunatics caught during the raid and the nature of their disability. Those being confirmed to be pure lunatics are taken to government approved Trado-Psychiatric Homes at Eiyenkorin and Alagbado, both in Ilorin, for treatment. While the lunatics are being trained during the period of their treatment, other beggars who are physically fit are sent back to their homes in the State or homes in other States of the federation.
For instance, in the last constant raids on beggars and lunatics on the streets and roads in Ilorin which started on Friday January 4, 2013, 164 beggars and eighteen lunatics were captured. Of the 164 beggars captured, 123 beggars whose families show up at the resettlement homes were released to leaders of the disability groups while the remaining twenty three of them without families in Ilorin were repatriated out of the State. The eighteen lunatics are currently receiving treatment at the two trado-psychiatric homes.
But there are some areas in Ilorin, the State Capital, where this evacuation of beggars and lunatics are receiving stiff resistance. Even the local people in these areas do not support the programme, they join with the beggars and lunatics to oppose the programme. In the last attempts to raid these areas of beggars and lunatics, they became angry and mishandled government officials. The beggars became an angry mob, attacked and broke the widescreen of the government vehicle on patrol while some staff members of the Ministry were wounded. These areas are Gambari area, Oja-Oba/Film House area, OjaGboro area and Sobi Junction. Findings show that these beggars hide under the religious injunction to beg about the streets. Some of the beggars claimed that they have lived in these areas with their wives, children and extended families for over sixty years, doing nothing but begging.
Despite the law prohibiting street begging in Kwara State has come into effect since December 2006, it has been very difficult to execute it due to lack of cooperation from the local people. Beggars and some people in Ilorin tend to resist the execution of the law banning Street begging in the State.
A special appeal need to be made to political, religious, social/community and traditional leaders in the State, especially in Ilorin the State Capital, to join hands with the State Government to get rid of beggars and lunatics from the streets. If and when the people of the State especially people in Ilorin, fully join the State Government to evacuate beggars from the streets and roads there will be no hiding place for any beggar and it will be very easy to identify and capture them from the streets to the resettlement homes.
More sensitization and enlightenment campaigns in the major languages spoken in the State on the radio need to be done to better educate and mobilize the people of the State on the advantages of getting rid of beggars and lunatics from the streets.
More security network need to be put in place to work with the staff of the Ministry of Social Development, Culture and Tourism to track down, arrest those who resist and evacuate all beggars from the Streets in the State.
A bigger and permanent facility (asylum) staffed with experts need to be established in the State where real rehabilitation, including skill acquisition could take place for those that are trainable for a permanent employment.
From the timeless past, people of Kwara State are noted for education and handwork. Street begging by the people is a new phenomenon that must be discouraged. Some people beg along the streets because they do not want to go to farm. We must all join our hands together to assist the State Government to discourage street begging. It is a shameful and dirty job.
Kannike is the Press Secretary, Ministry of Social Development, Culture and Tourism.