The Kwara State Government has launched a sweeping crackdown on street begging after security operatives arrested a suspected bandit allegedly posing as a beggar in Igbaja, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The suspect, according to government sources, had been loitering around public spaces under the guise of seeking alms when intelligence reports linked him to criminal activities. His arrest has heightened fears that criminal networks may be exploiting the growing population of street beggars to infiltrate communities and gather information.
Commissioner for Social Development, Hajia Mariam Nnafatima Imam, confirmed the development during a monitoring and enforcement exercise in Ilorin, where teams from her ministry moved through major junctions and markets to dislodge beggars and enforce existing regulations.
She described the Igbaja incident as a “serious security breach” and warned that the state would no longer treat street begging as a purely social problem.
According to her, the government’s new operation targets both the visible presence of beggars on major roads and the shadowy networks believed to be recruiting and transporting them. Officials say some of these networks profit from the proceeds of begging while exposing children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups to danger.
Hajia Imam stressed that the administration is expanding rehabilitation and support services, including temporary shelters, skills acquisition centres and empowerment schemes, to provide alternatives for those genuinely in need. She insisted, however, that compassion must not become a loophole for crime.
Parents, guardians and religious teachers who send children to the streets to beg were specifically cautioned. The commissioner described the practice as exploitative and warned that the government is prepared to invoke child rights and anti-trafficking laws against offenders.
Residents have been urged to report suspicious movements around worship centres, motor parks, markets and schools, where beggars often cluster. Security agencies are said to be working closely with the Ministry of Social Development to profile arrested beggars and identify possible criminal links.
The government is also appealing to the public to stop handing out cash to beggars on the streets. Instead, citizens are encouraged to support the needy through recognised social intervention programmes and credible humanitarian organisations, which officials argue can provide safer, more accountable assistance.
