The monitoring team of the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, yesterday , intercepted two female road side beggers posing and begging for alms with 3 babies less than a
month old . The two women, Hadiza Nosiru and Salamotu Salitu, were arrested and taken to the Rehabilitation and Training Centre at Majidun, new Ikorodu for questioning.
While they were investigated, it was revealed by the ministry that the women were not the biological mothers of the babies but were given out to the women by their parents who on daily basis receives between N1000 and N1500 as payment for renting out their babies.
The mothers of the babies were also arrested for leasing out their babies to be used for alms by other beggers. One of the women confessed as she was paraded at the state secretariat on Alausa, Ikeja, saying she had an agreement with one of the road side female begger to take her baby for alms begging between 5pm and 7pm daily for between N1000 and N1500.
The woman also gave her name as Tawa Aregbesola, a mother of four from Ibadan , Oyo state claims she was not aware of the consequences. Youth and Social Development Commissioner, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, noted that the practice was prevalent among female beggars especially from the north.
She also promised to take legal steps to deter others who may also want to indulge in the act, adding that efforts would be intensified to stop street begging. She expressed displeasure at the use of babies for begging, exposing them to hazards on the streets. She urged the public to help the government in eradicating the menace.
No comments:
Post a Comment