281 apprehended as Lagos intensifies crackdown on street urchins

The Lagos State Government has taken 281 street dwellers into custody as part of an ongoing enforcement drive aimed at improving public safety and restoring order across the metropolis.

The arrests were carried out by operatives of the Lagos State Taskforce during a coordinated operation that spanned several days and cut across both the Island and Mainland corridors of the state.

Confirming the development in a post shared on X on Saturday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed that those apprehended—commonly referred to as Omotaku—have already been charged to court.

According to the commissioner, the exercise covered a wide range of locations, including Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki–Ajah Expressway, Bourdillon, Apongbon, Yaba, Jibowu, Surulere, Ojuelegba, Palmgrove, Lagos Island, Costain, Funsho Williams Avenue, Akowonjo Road, Egbeda, Fadeyi and several adjoining streets.

Wahab explained that the enforcement campaign is part of the state’s broader efforts to keep roads and public spaces free from obstructions, curb safety threats to motorists and pedestrians, and uphold environmental standards.

He also called on residents to support the initiative by promptly reporting disturbances or unsafe activities linked to street urchins and beggars. Members of the public were advised to contact the state response lines for immediate intervention.

The commissioner reiterated that the government remains committed to sanitising strategic areas of Lagos, particularly major highways and commercial districts, as part of its drive to maintain law and order in the state.