Beggars in Kaduna state have protested over the state government ban on street begging, threatening to take the government to court for alleged defamation of character and violation of their right to life.
A group of beggars, consisting of men, women and children, led by one Abdullahi Jugunu, stormed the Kaduna State Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, to express their displeasure with the ban imposed on them. The group kicked against the ban on street begging and hawking.
Jugunu, while speaking on behalf of the beggars, observed that beggars ought to have been consulted before such a pronouncement is made.
“Apart from feeling insulted, we will be seeking legal redress against the government, first for defamation of character. The ban, which came only after the Zaria blast, is a subtle way of calling us terrorists. Our right to life is now under threat because our existence is hinged on begging activities on the streets.
“We are giving the authorities three days to rescind their decision or risk being victims of a spell we would profess against them. Our promise for now is that we will be returning to the streets for our normal business.”
It will be recalled that following the attack of a female suicide bomber in Zaria, that killed about 40 people, the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, banned street hawking and begging across the State. [myad]
