Lagos cracks down on street begging, prosecutes 459, rescues 1,315 vulnerable

By Lukman Olabiyi

Lagos State Government has intensified its clampdown on street begging and homelessness, rescuing no fewer than 1,315 vulnerable persons from different parts of the state while prosecuting 459 beggars through the Mobile Court.

The state’s Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, disclosed this on Thursday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing marking the third year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Ogunlende said the exercise formed part of the state government’s ongoing rehabilitation and reintegration programme aimed at addressing street begging, homelessness, mental health concerns, and public disorder across the state.

According to him, those rescued comprised 587 beggars, 560 mentally challenged persons, 143 destitute persons, and 25 street children picked up from major roads and public spaces during the review period.

He explained that the rescued individuals were taken to government rehabilitation centres where they received medical care, psychosocial support, counselling, vocational training, and other rehabilitation services.

The commissioner further disclosed that 459 beggars were prosecuted before the Mobile Court and sentenced to community service with an option of fine as part of measures to discourage street begging and restore environmental sanity in the metropolis.

“The state government remains committed to restoring dignity to vulnerable persons through rehabilitation, counselling, vocational empowerment, and reintegration into society,” Ogunlende said.

He noted that the ministry’s Rehabilitation Department had continued to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach involving psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and social workers in managing rehabilitees across government facilities.

Ogunlende revealed that the state’s Rehabilitation Training Centre currently houses 1,295 rehabilitees undergoing therapy and rehabilitation programmes, while 1,072 persons were admitted within the reporting period.

He added that 998 rehabilitees, including foreign nationals, had been reunited with their families after rehabilitation and placed under post-reintegration monitoring by the ministry’s Human Integration Unit.

The commissioner also stated that several rehabilitees had been empowered through vocational training programmes in tailoring, horticulture, barbing, phone repairs, and other trades to aid their economic reintegration into society.

He said the government had equally strengthened efforts to combat drug and substance abuse through the Lagos State Kick Against Drug Abuse initiative in collaboration with schools, communities, non-governmental organisations, and security agencies.

Ogunlende reaffirmed the commitment of the Sanwo-Olu administration to expanding rehabilitation, rescue, and reintegration programmes aimed at reducing homelessness, street begging, and social disorder across Lagos State.