Awka – Anambra State Government on Saturday apprehended two notorious begging syndicates, using underage children to seek for alms.
Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Lady Ndidi Mezue, led officials of the Ministry on the operation at Unizik Temporary Site Junction, Awka.
The two women from Nasarawa and Enugu States, were apprehended with six children, four girls and two boys.
TNC correspondent gathered that the women were among some beggers arrested at Nnewi and Awka, in December 2020, by a team led by the Commissioner, who were counseled, given food items and also provided with some amount of money to start a new life.
The Anambra Commissioner, Lady Mezue in a bid to ensure they were successfully reintergrated into the society, placed a call to her Nasarawa state counterpart, who promised to provide the woman with job and care for her children.
Unfortunately, the repeat offenders quickly after receiving assistance from the Commissioner, returned to Anambra state and continued with their begging venture until luck ran out on them today, leading to their re-arrest.
Speaking after the exercise, Lady Mezue, revealed that arrangements have been made to ensure that the women were duly rehabilitated before being returned to their home states to start a new life and be useful to themselves and the society.
“This is totally unacceptable in Anambra State. We can’t have people using children to beg for alms. In Anambra, children enjoy free education and I don’t see any reason why these mothers should using their children to beg instead of sending them to school,” she noted.
She however urged mothers to be mindful of what they put their children through, noting that the future of the children are important for a brighter future for the state.
