In a renewed push to restore public order and maintain urban sanitation, the Lagos State Government has taken 215 street beggars off the roads, to end the culture across the state.
The 215 beggars, including 152 adult males, 46 adult females, and 17 young, we’re apprehended by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC)—popularly known as KAI, during a coordinated enforcement operations across the metropolis.
The crackdown, executed by personnel targeted major transport hubs, pedestrian bridges, and commercial corridors where street begging and public nuisance have surged.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunboh Wahab, confirmed the arrest on Saturday through a statement released on his official social media handle.
Wahab emphasized that the state government remains resolute in its zero-tolerance policy toward activities that disrupt public peace, compromise safety, and degrade the environment.
“The operation forms part of the state’s ongoing efforts to maintain public order, promote environmental sanitation, and ensure safer, cleaner, and more orderly public spaces for all residents of Lagos,” Wahab stated.
He noted that street begging is often tied to security vulnerabilities and environmental degradation, particularly around high-traffic zones.
The Commissioner re-emphasized that public bridges and walkways are designed for safe pedestrian transit, not for residential squatting or organized begging rings.