The Lagos State Government says it has arrested a total of 144 street beggars across various parts of the state as part of its ongoing enforcement and environmental sanitation operations.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement shared on his official Facebook page on Wednesday.

According to the commissioner, enforcement teams apprehended 22 beggars during an operation conducted in Oshodi and Agege. Those arrested comprised adults and a number of teenagers.

He further revealed that another 23 persons, including 14 adults and nine children, were apprehended during a separate operation at CMS.

Wahab stated that clearance operations were also ongoing in other parts of the state, including Admiralty Way in Lekki and Addo Road in Ajah, as authorities intensify efforts to rid major roads and public spaces of street begging and related activities.

Providing an update on the exercise, the commissioner said a total of 144 street beggars had been arrested across Lagos State as of 2:00 p.m. on the day of the operation.

He explained that underage children rescued from the streets had been profiled and transferred to the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development for further care and rehabilitation.

“The underage children picked up statewide for begging on our roads have been properly profiled and handed over to the Ministry of Youth and Social Development for onward placement in the homes and shelters provided by the State Government, where they will receive the necessary care, protection, and support,” Wahab said.

He added that adult beggars arrested during the operation would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action in accordance with existing laws and government policies.

The latest operation forms part of the Lagos State Government’s broader campaign to improve environmental sanitation, public order and safety across the state.