Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Lagos State Government has intensified its crackdown on street begging and public nuisances, apprehending 226 beggars in a fresh statewide enforcement operation carried out on Thursday, June 18, 2026, by a joint team comprising the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI). The arrests were confirmed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in a post on his official X account.
The operation, which Wahab described as part of the government's sustained efforts to maintain environmental sanity and enhance public safety, saw the joint team conduct raids across various locations in the state. The commissioner stated that the apprehended individuals would undergo proper profiling and documentation before being repatriated to their respective states of origin in line with established procedures and relevant government policies. "In continuation of the ongoing daily clean-up and enforcement exercise across the State, a total of 226 beggars were apprehended earlier today," Wahab wrote. The operation forms part of the state government's sustained efforts to maintain environmental sanity, enhance public safety, and ensure a cleaner and more orderly Lagos.
This latest crackdown follows a series of similar enforcement exercises targeting street begging across the state. On June 4, 2026, more than 140 people were arrested during operations in Oshodi, Agege and CMS. Prior to that, on June 3, 144 beggars were arrested across multiple locations as part of an intensified enforcement drive. In a separate operation earlier that same day, 22 beggars were arrested in Agege and Oshodi, while another operation at CMS led to the apprehension of 14 adults and 9 children.
The Lagos State Government has repeatedly maintained that enforcement operations are necessary to address environmental challenges, improve public order, and sustain efforts aimed at making the state cleaner and safer for residents. Officials have also raised concerns about the occupation of pedestrian bridges and other public infrastructure by beggars and vagrants, warning that such activities could pose security and safety risks to residents. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, described the operations as routine, stating: "It is part of our efforts to enforce discipline and maintain order in the state".
Lagos authorities have repeatedly urged residents to channel charitable donations through religious bodies and registered humanitarian organisations rather than giving alms directly on the streets. Officials say those arrested are usually profiled and documented, with vulnerable persons referred to appropriate welfare institutions, while adult offenders may be repatriated to their states of origin. As the crackdown continues, the state government has maintained that the ongoing operations are intended to improve environmental sanitation, enhance public safety and prevent the misuse of public infrastructure. With the latest arrests, the total number of beggars apprehended in Lagos over the past two weeks now exceeds 400, underscoring the administration's resolve to rid the state's streets of begging and other environmental infractions.
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