The Government of Kwara State has intensified its crackdown on street begging following the arrest of a suspected bandit who allegedly disguised himself as a beggar in Igbaja, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the Press Secretary of the Ministry, Rasheedat Shodunke, and sighted by reporters in Ilorin, the Commissioner for Social Development, Mariam Nnafatima Imam, disclosed the development while addressing officers during a monitoring and enforcement exercise against street begging in the Ilorin metropolis.

The commissioner emphasised that the development has heightened security concerns and prompted renewed enforcement measures across the state.

She described the incident in Igbaja as a serious security breach capable of undermining public safety if not urgently addressed.

“This incident is a serious security concern and a clear indication that street begging could be exploited by criminal elements to perpetrate unlawful acts and threaten public safety,” the commissioner said.

Imam therfore stressed that although the government remains committed to supporting vulnerable persons through structured rehabilitation and empowerment initiatives, it would not condone criminal infiltration under the guise of social vulnerability.

“While the state remains committed to protecting vulnerable persons through rehabilitation and empowerment programmes, we will not tolerate the use of street begging as a cover for criminal activities,” she declared.