Reports say many beggars in Kano have returned to their businesses in spite of a state government order in 2016 which banned street begging.
A correspondent who visited some streets in the state capital on
Friday, reports that many beggars were seen on the streets, including
Sabo Bakin Zuwo road leading to the Kano Government House.
Some of the beggars who spoke to NAN said they returned to the streets because they were dying of hunger.
Malam Adamu Babale, said he came to Kano daily from his village to
beg for money to cater for his family. He said if he had a trade to
engage in he would not have returned to street begging.
A female beggar Malama Batula Sa’idu, explained though complied
with the order banning begging in the state, but could not help but beg
once in a while. The management of the state Hisbah Board said they
usually conduct a surveillance aimed at arresting beggars and charge
them to court.
The Director-General of Hisbah, Alhaji Abba Sufi, told NAN that the
agency arrested the beggars because the state had earlier empowered
them before banning the act. He expressed concern that though some of
the beggars had invested in the trade they were empowered, yet they were
not satisfied.
Sufi, however, warned beggars to desist from the act, saying that
the board would soon strengthen its surveillance with a view to
prosecuting those of them found disobeying the law banning beggging Kano
State Government banned street begging about a year ago after
empowering thousands of street beggars in various trades.