In its bid to arrest the influx of Boko Haram members in Oyo State and check the activities of criminals who may be disguised as beggars, the state government has concluded arrangement to evacuate beggars in all major streets and areas and towns in the state to check the menace of crime and other social problems.
This was the resolution of the state Inter-Religious /Inter Ethnic Committee presided by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo today.
The meeting had the attendance of representatives of various ethnic groups and religions including Alhaji Kunle Sanni (Muslim), Bishop Kehinde Stephen (Christian), Chief Fayemi Fakayode (Indigenous Faith) and Muktar Lukman (Hausa).
At the meeting, it was resolved that “beggars should be taken off the streets of major cities as that violates the accepted norms and religious beliefs in the society."
Reading the communique on behalf of his colleagues at the Executive Chamber, Alhaji Kunle Sanni noted that beggars should be taken off the streets of major cities as that violates the accepted norms and religious beliefs in the society.
He stated having understood that begging contradicts the teachings of Islam, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai banned street begging and this has resulted to the increasing influx of beggars in the state (Oyo).
The communique further stated that “Proactive measures should be taken on the issue of Fulani Bororo and should not be limited to farmers/ Fulani Bororo in the State.
“The committee viewed with great concern the rising incidence of rape and kidnapping in the state and that we stand by the government in whatever measure taken to check mate the crises via the state.
It was also resolved that a multidimensional approach should be applied by the government, looking at the relevant sociological perspectives to analyze the menace of beggars in Nigerian cities.