The Oyo State government has evacuated 14 mentally ill persons and 86 destitute from some popular areas in Ibadan, the capital city to a rescue center.
The evacuees were picked up at Mokola, Jemibewon, Challenge, Sango, Orita-UI, and Ojoo areas of the state capital on Friday.
The exercise, according to the state government is the third of its kind in 2021 and was carried out by the staff of the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion.
All the evacuees were moved to the Rescue Centre, situated at Akinyele village, for profiling.
Speaking with newsmen, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Christiana Abioye, said the exercise was aimed at achieving mass evacuation of the destitute, including beggars and the mentally sick.
Abioye said the exercise was to ensure that the lives of the destitute and that of the general public were safe and secured.
According to her, “the presence of the destitute in the society poses danger, as some of them could be agents for criminals, adding that the present administration under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde is committed to ridding the state of destitute.”
She stated that the exercise is continuous, promising that the well-being of all the evacuees would be ensured and that adequate care would be given to them.
Adeoye said: “Government will feed the evacuees at the Rescue Centre three times in a day. The facility is habitable.”
According to her, those that are mentally ill will be moved to the psychiatric section at the Adeoyo State Hospital, Ring Road, for medical attention.