The Kwara State Government has evacuated 40 beggars from the streets of Ilorin, the state capital, in its latest enforcement operation.

Conducted by officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Development in collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Kwara Command, the exercise targeted known begging hotspots including Tipper Garage (Tanke), Offa Garage, and Garin Alimi.

During the operation, a US dollar note was discovered on one of the evacuees, identified as Musa Mahmuda from Kano State, while another was found in possession of a sharp knife.

Seven of those removed were repeat offenders who had previously been evacuated but returned to street begging after initial release.

Commissioner for Social Welfare and Development, Dr. Mariam Imam, confirmed that the anti-begging campaign is yielding measurable results, citing a drop in numbers from 94 apprehended in the previous round to 40 this time.

She revealed that the ministry is continuously refining its strategies as individuals adopt new tactics to evade detection, reaffirming the government’s commitment to eradicating street begging and rehabilitating vulnerable persons.

She urged members of the public to desist from patronising beggars and instead direct their support to religious bodies, orphanages, and other registered organisations, stressing that street begging has been outlawed in the state.

On his part, Adebayo Okunola, Head of Non-Custodian Centre, NCS Kwara Command, said punitive measures would be applied to the offenders to serve as deterrence. “We will make sure they clean the streets, they will sweep the streets so they understand that there is dignity in labour,” he stated.