We’ll Die If We Leave Begging: Hausa Street Beggars Decry Mass Arrest, Conviction In Kwara

• Kwara State Government arrests and convicts 66 street beggars roaming Kwara State communities
• Street beggars reacted, expressing desperation and hopelessness, explaining how the government's decision is a threat to their livelihood
• Assistant Controller of Correctional Service in Kwara, Okunola Adebayo, explains how the new development will help introduce cultural reform

Some Hausa street beggars residing in the Gambari Area of Ilorin, Kwara State, have spoken out about the recent mass arrest and convictions of their colleagues by the state government.

Legit.ng learned that the Kwara State government arrested 66 beggars, made up of 21 children, 28 women and 17 men on Tuesday, June 24.

The beggars were apprehended during a statewide operation carried out by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Development in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Correctional Service and the Ministry of Justice.

The raid was carried out in major locations such as the Post Office, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Sulu Gambari Road, Asa Dam Road, Geri Alimi Roundabout, Tanke Junction, and Offa Garage.

Those arrested were arraigned and convicted by a Mobile Court presided over by Senior Magistrate Jumoke Bello.

They were sentenced to community service under the supervision of the Correctional Service, a move which the government says will reform them.

A visit by Legit.ng to popular begging spots such as the Gambari area and Geri Alimi on Sunday, June 29, revealed that the beggars have not backed down from their daily hustle. Despite the recent arrests and convictions, many of them were seen seated in their usual positions, continuing their routine as though nothing had happened a few days earlier.

The beggars who spoke to Legit.ng expressed anger, sadness and helplessness over the treatment they received from the government.

They also insisted that they have no other means of livelihood and therefore cannot simply walk away from street begging.

One of the beggars, Mallam Ibrahim Usman, claimed to have been in the business since 2012, and said that he came to Ilorin from Sokoto State.

“I don’t steal. I don’t fight anyone. I only beg because I am hungry and my legs no longer allow me to work well. Is it a crime to beg for food in a country where the government does not help the poor?” he asked.

Another beggar, Hafsat, seen alongside her three children, said her family depends on begging for survival.

“My husband died four years ago. I have no one. What work can I do with these children? We only eat from what people give us. Government should pity us. We are not criminals,” she said.

“No one is planning to leave this begging because we may not succeed or we may die. The solution is to keep running for the police until they get tired and leave us alone,” she added.

A government source who requested anonymity due to a lack of authority to speak on the matter has defended the operation. He disclosed that the street beggars are potential security threats and alleged that many of them act as informants to terrorists and kidnappers.

“What I heard was that the government has received intelligence reports that some of these street beggars are being used by kidnappers, disturbing the peace of the state. This may be why the government is trying to push them away,” the source said.

Reform through community labour

The Assistant Controller of Correctional Service in Kwara, Okunola Adebayo, explained that the beggars would serve their sentences through community service. He described it as a reform-based punishment designed to instil a culture of

“hard work and dignity.”

A review of the Kwara State Street Begging (Prohibition) Law of 2006 by Legit.ng reveals that street begging is criminalised, with violators liable to a fine of ₦5,000 or a jail term of up to 3 months, or both.

Despite the law and the enforcement campaign, several beggars remain defiant and continue their normal business to survive amid the clampdown.

A ritualist disguised as a beggar

Legit.ng previously reported that a Nigerian man had shared his harrowing encounter with a female beggar whom he met on the road. He shared the story via the X app, and it quickly went viral, garnering lots of comments from netizens.

He recounted how the beggar had returned his money months after he had given it to her.

He claimed that the beggar had attempted to use the money for ritual purposes, but her plan backfired and failed to yield the desired results.

Source: Legit.ng