Palpable tension is currently mounting in Asaba and environs in Delta State over the influx of lunatics and beggers at various streets of the city.
Investigation revealed that major streets in Asaba and environs are littered with waste including emptied cans of drinks, rags used by the lunatics and beggars, who sources claimed are not Deltans.
But the state government through the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Community Development, Mrs. Omoshola Williams had last week at a press conference told journalists that the state had been completely rid of lunatics and beggers, adding that the few ones currently on the streets were Invaders who will soon be evacuated to where they will be taken care of by the state government.
She said, “the state government had had a solid arrangements on where the few lunatics and beggers still on the streets of Asaba will be taken care of, although, we still find pockets of them. They are not Deltans. They came from neighbouring states, we are doing something about the eye sore they are currently constituting in major streets of Asaba”.
Further investigation revealed that at Ibusa, Nnebisi road, Summit road, Ogbeogonogo market area, Ogesowa area, and Okpanam road, these lunatics and beggers take centerstage of the roads, most times singing aloud constituting horrible sights as some of them have stinking sores on their legs .
They swoop on unsuspecting motorists, passersby and pedestrian to beg for alms with big bags, particularly at the Popular Ibusa Nnebisi road junction with all means to get attention.
In the last few days, the lunatics and beggers have virtually taken over Summit road, Koka Junction, Okpanam road, traffic lights with all manner of lawlessness and attack persons who attempt to tame their excesses.
Sources said during night fall, the beggers retire to a hotel behind the Stephen keshi stadium till the following morning for another round of begging.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Barr. John Nani, who spoke to journalists at the weekend on the state government’s efforts to remove the lunatics and beggers from the streets, said “it has not been easy at all. We have been evacuating them, and after sometime they will return. However, the state government will do its best to remove them from the streets, and take them to where they will be taken care of.”
” Many of these Beggers here in Asaba now were driven away from Onitsha , Anambra state. They recently moved into Asaba with big cancer in their bodies. We want the state government to do something urgent about the situation, going close to them they smell”, Mrs. Mabel molokwo, resident in Asaba, told our correspondent.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, who spoke with our correspondent, said, “the embarrassement by these lunatics and beggers are getting too much, the police will soon commence the arrest of the ones we know are disguised beggers, prosecute them. We also investigating their activities in the state”.
