As part of effort to ensure a healthy society, the Edo Government has removed 26 lunatics from the streets of Benin. The state government said the action would assist in keeping the streets neat and avoid the defacing of the structures put in place.

Mrs Florence Ebomhouyi-Idundun, the Permanent Secretary of Women Affairs and Social Development, said this while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.

"In preparation for the Christmas and New year celebrations, 26 lunatics were removed from the streets in Benin," Ebomouyi-Idundun said. She said that the lunatics were picked from the Oba Market Road, King's Square, Airport Road, Mission Road, Oko-Iriri axis and Okada Avenue, amongst others.

The permanent secretary said that none of the lunatics was from Edo, adding that they were from neighbouring states. She said some of them were returned to their respective states, while others were taken to homes for rehabilitation.

"We have now done away with the issue of destitutes. Everybody can now move about in the street without embarrassment," Ebomouyi-Idundun said. (NAN)