Islamic cleric back ban on street begging in Niger State

The Niger State Imams’ Forum has declared its support for the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in stopping street begging that had become embarrassing to Islam and northern Nigeria.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Religious Affairs, Alhaji Tanko Baba Ahmed, disclosed this to our reporter after the meeting with the Chief Imams of Juma’at mosques held in Minna, the state capital.

Ahmed said that it was a meeting aimed at bringing to the barest minimal the menace of street begging, especially by the under-aged, who were supposed to be in school, but were found, on daily basis, begging on the streets and some strategic areas like filling stations, restaurants, traffic lights, mosques, banks and other places.

He noted that the clerics were in a better position to educate parents and entire society on their responsibility to their children, because they are listened to by the people, and so had an essential part to play in the fight against the menace of street begging.

He warned that henceforth the state government would apprehend youths who were observed as potential danger to the state and society.