Records of the Kano State Hisbah Board on beggars have shown that no fewer than 648 suspected beggars were arrested in Kano Metropolis between February and September 2020.
The report indicated that the beggars were arrested for allegedly violating the law on ban of street begging, a said to have been introduced as part of measures to curb the prevalence of street begging across the state.
The Board’s Public Relations Officer, Lawan Ibrahim, listed those arrested for violating the laws banning street begging by children popularly referred to as Almajiris to include 416 females and 232 males.
Giving the breakdown while briefing newsmen on Wednesday, Ibrahim said that the suspects were arrested at the Bata Area Murtala Muhammed way, Nasarawa Hospital, Railway Station, and Yahuza Suya junction in the city.
He reiterated the government’s commitments towards ridding the state of residents engaging in indiscriminate begging across the state, and that no efforts would be spared in delivering on the mandate.
“We will make Kano streets beggar-free. Those arrested have been screened and those who were first-time offenders will be handed over to their relatives. Those who are not first-time offenders would be charged to court,” he said.
