Akwa Ibom State govt. evacuates lunatics from Uyo

The Akwa Ibom state Government on Tuesday commenced the evacuation of lunatics from the streets of Uyo, the State capital.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Glory Edet, said that the evacuation was aimed at bringing sanity to the city.

"it is dehumanising for us as a ministry to see them roaming the streets without anybody caring for them and also making the state capital untidy.The state is a destination to all and sundry in the country and we need to make it look welcoming to our visitors.

"At the end of the operation, which will last for three days, we will retire all of these psychiatric patients to the Psychiatric Hospital in Eket, where they will be given proper treatment. So far, we have arrested 24 of them and they are under the good care of the Department of Social Welfare.

Edet said that some residents did not cooperate during the operation as they hindered members of the task force from arresting the lunatics.

She said the psychiatric patients would be treated by the State Government and ensure that they were effectively rehabilitated.

"The plan will not stop at offering them treatments but will also ensure that they are trained in certain vocations after which they will be empowered”, she added.

Edet said that at the end of the operation in Uyo, the ministry would commence similar operation in major towns like Eket and Ikot Ekpene. (NAN).