The Kwara State Fire Service has saved property worth over N18 billion from fire incidents in the past year, while the estimated value of property lost during this period amounted to N629 million.

Additionally, at least 10 lives were lost to fire disasters during the year, though many fire victims were rescued alive.

This information was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Works and Transport, AbdulQuawiy Olododo, during an inter-ministerial press briefing organised by the Ministry of Communications and Strategy to highlight the activities of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over the past year.

Engr. Olododo stated that the State Fire Service received 190 emergency calls from citizens during this period. He attributed the saving of many lives to the prompt interventions of Fire Service officers and the purchase of modern firefighting equipment and accessories by the state government.

Speaking on road projects, Olododo revealed that 75 road projects earmarked for rehabilitation, reconstruction, and interlocking had been completed across the state, reducing travel times. He added that work is ongoing on an additional 80 road projects across the 16 local government areas, aimed at further reconstruction, rehabilitation, or interlocking.

For her part, the Commissioner for Social Development, Mrs Afolashade Opeyemi Kemi, said the state government had raided and taken away from the Ilorin metropolis marked beggars suspected to be arms depots for criminals, adding that 158 of such beggars had been mopped up across the state in the one last year.

The Commissioner lamented that most of the beggars raided were found with dangerous arms like guns, daggers, charms and other dangerous weapons, wondering what people who claimed to be beggars could be doing with such dangerous weapons and charms.

According to her, the raided beggars, mostly from Bauchi, Kano and other northern states, have constituted a great social menace in the state, particularly Ilorin and its environs.

She said: “Our discovery is a confirmation that criminals keep their guns and other weapons with the so-called beggars.”

Kemi also hinted that five lunatics threatening the peace of the Ilorin metropolis have been treated by the state government at a psychiatric home in the Olorunda area, Ilorin and discharged after due certification of their mental stability and repatriated back to their respective states.

She said: “We have evacuated 158 young beggars from the streets,” adding that 88 were raided the first time while another 70 were later added, saying: “They have since been repatriated to their states.”

The Commissioner said the state government’s delegation had on several occasions met with the leadership of these impaired people on the need to rid the state of menaces, but “the truth is that they are just too stubborn”.