The recent upsurge in the population of street beggars in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, may have started giving the state government some serious concern.

The Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said that "street begging is not known to any law in Nigeria," adding that his government would commence "prompt action" against the beggars.

Ahmed, who said his government would encourage rehabilitation of such persons with the proof of being citizens of the state, disclosed that the upsurge could not be divorced from the recent actions of adjoining states' governments against the beggars.

Speaking yesterday in Ilorin in a chat with reporters, the governor said he would resist any attempt aimed at making the state a dumping ground for beggars.

"Many of these beggars are not from here. They ran away from a state such as Lagos and came here to beg. We will not allow it, because if we do, there is no law that will back up our action.

"A few days ago, when I was away for an official duty, some people under the aegis of Physically-Challenged Persons came to the Government House with their demands. They were Kwarans and that kind of demands could be listened to but for street begging, nothing of such would be allowed," the governor said.

Places such as Maraba, Tanke Junction, Kulende Junction, Gambari, Oja Oba Ipata, and Challenge junctions are daily flocked by these beggars.

The development is, no doubt, making the mockery of the daily sanitation exercise of the state government. The government has in its employment over 200 women sweepers who sweep the major streets in Ilorin everyday, except on Sundays.

Although some Moslem faithful claimed that the beggars could be referred to as the poor, who should be adequately catered for, the Chief Imam of Ilorin Mohammed Bashir said the belief was erroneous.

According to Bashir, Islam believes in hard work rather than begging. Besides, he said Al - Zakat should not be misconstrued as begging.

For him, Al-zakat is that percentage paid in a year to any identified poor person of the payer's choice, over the gains made in the course of a business, adding that, "begging should not be viewed as Al-Zakat."