* As state govt mops up 158 beggars
By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State Fire Service has saved property worth over N18b
from fire incidents in the last one year, while the estimated value of property lost during the period was put at N629m.
In the same vein, no fewer than 10 lives were said to have been lost to fire disasters in the period under review, while not a few fire victims
were rescued alive.
This was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Works and Transport, AbdulQuawiy Olododo, at an inter-ministerial press briefing organised by the Ministry of Communications and Strategy to showcase the activities of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the last one year.
According to Engr. Olododo, the State Fire Service, during that period, received 190 emergency calls from the citizens, adding that many lives were saved by the prompt interventions of the officers of the Fire Service, and the purchase of modern fire fighting equipment and accessories by the state government for the Service.
Speaking on road projects, Olododo disclosed that no fewer than 75 road projects earmarked for rehabilitation, reconstruction and interlocking had been completed across the state, thereby reducing travel times, adding that works are ongoing on additional 80 other road projects across the 16 local government areas of the state meant for either reconstruction, rehabilitation or interlocking.
For her part, the Commissioner for Social Development, Mrs Afolashade Opeyemi Kemi, said the
state government had raided and taken away from Ilorin metropolis marked beggars suspected to be arms depot for criminals, adding that 158 of such beggars had been mopped up across the state in the last one year.
The Commissioner lamented that most of the beggars raided were found with dangerous arms like: guns, daggers, charms and other dangerous weapons, wondering what people who claimed to be beggars could be doing with such dangerous weapons and charms.
According to her, the raided beggars, mostly from Bauchi, Kano and other northern states, have constituted a great social menace in the state, particularly Ilorin and its environs.
She said: “Our discovery is a confirmation that criminals keep their guns and other weapons with the so-called beggars.”
Kemi also hinted that five lunatics threatening the peace of Ilorin metropolis have been treated by the state government at a psychiatric home in Olorunda area, Ilorin and discharged after due certification of their mental stability and repatriated back to their respective states.
She said: “We have evacuated 158 young beggars from the streets,” adding that 88 were raided the first time while another 70 were later added, saying: “they have since been repatriated to their states.”
The Commissioner said the state government’s delegation had on several occasions met with the leadership of these impaired people on the need to rid the state of menaces, but “the truth is that they are just too stubborn”.
Kemi also hinted that five lunatics threatening the peace of Ilorin metropolis have been treated by the state government at a psychiatric home in Olorunda area, Ilorin and discharged after due certification of their mental stability and repatriated back to their respective states.