144 people arrested for begging in Lagos

No fewer than 144 people have been arrested across Lagos State for allegedly begging on the streets.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, shared this information on his verified X account on Wednesday.

"A total of 144 beggars across Lagos State had been arrested as of 2:00 p.m. today (Wednesday)," he wrote.

Earlier on Wednesday, Wahab announced that 45 people, both adults and children, were arrested during separate operations targeting street begging in Oshodi, Agege, and CMS areas of Lagos.

He mentioned that 22 beggars, including adults and a few teenagers, were arrested in Oshodi and Agege.

He also said that another group of 23 people, made up of 14 adults and nine children, were caught 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 nine children were apprehended at CMS," Wahab stated.

PUNCH Metro reports that street begging is illegal in Lagos State. It is also against the law to give money to beggars on major highways.

In previous warnings published by The PUNCH, the state government told residents to give donations through churches or charity organizations. They warned that not following this advice is an offence.

Explaining Wednesday’s operation in an interview with PUNCH Metro, Kunle Adeshina, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, said the arrests are not just a one-time thing.

"I’ll call it routine. It is part of our efforts to enforce discipline and maintain order in the state.

"I think it is about ensuring that our streets and public spaces remain safe and clean. Sometimes people ask why we don’t arrest beggars, but we are doing this to ensure that our overhead and pedestrian bridges are safe.

"It is all connected. Some of the people who occupy pedestrian bridges sometimes attack innocent citizens at night.

"They are the same people who stay on road medians and public spaces begging for money. So, this is a continuous effort," he said.

PUNCH Metro reports that Lagos authorities have relied on the Criminal Law of Lagos State concerning public nuisance and disorderly conduct to enforce rules against street begging.

The law clearly states that those who beg or gather alms in public places are considered disorderly persons.