The Kwara State Government has intensified its campaign against street begging following the arrest of a suspected bandit who allegedly posed as a beggar in Igbaja, located in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. Authorities described the incident as a major security concern.
Okay News reports that the Commissioner for Social Development, Hajia Mariam Nnafatima Imam, disclosed the arrest during a monitoring and enforcement exercise in Ilorin metropolis. In a statement issued by the Ministry’s Press Secretary, Rasheedat Shodunke, the commissioner said the case highlights how street begging can be exploited by criminal elements to carry out unlawful activities.
She stressed that while the government remains committed to assisting vulnerable residents through structured rehabilitation programmes, it will not tolerate individuals using street begging as a cover for crime. The commissioner also cautioned parents and guardians against sending children or dependents to beg, warning that such actions expose them to exploitation and abuse.
Residents were urged to stay alert and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies. The government further advised members of the public to support vulnerable persons through officially recognised social intervention schemes rather than through indiscriminate street almsgiving. Enforcement operations, according to the commissioner, will be extended across all local government areas, with offenders facing legal consequences under existing state laws.
