The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 7,751 beggars for allegedly violating the law banning street begging on the major streets of the state capital from January to date, an official said on Wednesday.

Hisbah is the enforcement arm of the Shariah Law.

Malam Umar Yahaya, the Public Relations Officer of the Board, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Wednesday that 2,476 of the suspects were children, while 5,275 were adults.

“Our men arrested 7,751 street beggars around Bata, France road, Lodge road, Nassarawa Hospital and Yankaba areas for violating the law banning street begging in Kano metropolis.

“Out of the 7,751 beggars, 5,275 are adults (both male and female), while 2,476 are children who engaged in begging in places like traffic junctions and restaurants,” Yahaya said.

He stated that 6,261 of the arrested beggars hailed from Kano city, while 1,452 are from Bichi, Rano, Gezawa and Minjibir local government areas of the state.

According to him, the remaining 38 are from neighbouring Cameroon and Niger republics, among others.

Yahaya said 446 of them had been charged to court, while 6,643 who were first-time offenders, were handed over to their relatives, and 662 were repatriated to their various states. (NAN)