The Anambra State Government has issued a warning to neighbouring states, who reportedly dump mentally challenged persons in the state.
Anambra State Commissioner for Children and Women’s Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mezue, who recounted how the state had rehabilitated over 100 persons within a short while, aid because some states had noticed that the State had a rehabilitation programme for mentally challenged persons and other destitute people, they have decided to dump them with reckless abandon.
According to Mrs Ndidi who spoke with Punch’s correspondent, most of the rehabilitated people were from other states.
“Most of the individuals who were picked up from different locations in Anambra State were people from neighbouring states, who were dropped off in Anambra State by unknown individuals.
“The ministry will do all it can to rid the streets of Anambra State of destitute and mentally-challenged people. The manner in which such people are brought into Anambra State to carry out illicit activities like begging and wandering is disgusting” she said.
“It is not easy to manage such persons. One of the mentally challenged persons was tracked from the UNIZIK junction, Awka to Amawbia before the team were able to apprehend him. From the information gathered from the boy who is probably in his early twenties, it was revealed that he is from Edo State.
“The subsequent raid that was carried out under the Aroma flyover, Awka, netted an elderly mentally challenged woman, who explained that she is from Lagos State, and was dropped off in the state, by her uncle” she added.
