Worried by the flood of mentally-deranged persons in Uyo, the Akwaibom State capital, Ikot Ekpene and other local government areas, the Akwa State government has accused neighbouring states of dumping their mentally ill patients across the borders into the state.
Our Correspondent learnt that following the recent discovery, the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel has taken sweeping steps to stop the proliferation of lunatics across the three senatorial districts of the state.
“The state government has sent strong warning to families and persons in neighbouring states, who are in the habit of bringing and dumping their mentally-challenged ones in the state to refrain from the habit forthwith,” the commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Ini Adiakpan said.
The warning was handed down during the flag-off of an exercise tagged: “Evacuation of Vagrant Psychotic Persons from the Streets of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket Senatorial Districts.”
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony along Atiku Abubakar Way, Uyo, where some lunatics were apprehended by a special task force team, Adiakpan lamented that “upon all previous efforts by government and huge resources invested, it is embarrassing to see the number of insane people on the streets in the state increasing by the day, thus becoming an eye sore and nuisance to residents.”
