Lagos Government Arrests 45 Teenage, Adult Beggars

The Lagos State Government has arrested 45 individuals, including adults and children, during separate enforcement operations targeting street begging in Oshodi, Agege, and CMS areas of Lagos.

The Commissioner for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed the development in a statement shared via his X account on Wednesday.

Wahab said 22 beggars, made up of adults and a few teenagers, were picked up during an operation carried out in Oshodi and Agege.

He further revealed that another 23 persons, comprising 14 adults and nine children, were apprehended at CMS.

“Earlier today, in a separate enforcement operation, our team apprehended 22 beggars at Oshodi and Agege, comprising adults and a few teenagers.

“Additionally, 14 adults and 9 children were apprehended at CMS,” Wahab stated.

The commissioner noted that similar clearance operations are continuing in other parts of the state, including Admiralty Way in Lekki and Addo Road in Ajah.

The latest arrests come amid the state government’s intensified environmental enforcement campaign.

On May 25, Wahab disclosed that enforcement activities carried out over a one-year period led to the arrest of 10,634 offenders across Lagos.

According to him, 5,715 people were apprehended for illegally crossing highways, while 3,886 others were arrested for offences such as street trading, environmental violations, and cart pushing.

He added that 102 persons were arrested for open defecation, while 931 others were apprehended for various waste management-related offences across the state.