Lagos arrests 281 street Urchins

The Lagos State Government has arrested 281 street urchins, locally known as Omotaku, in a series of operations aimed at restoring public safety and order across the state.

In a statement on Saturday via X, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed that the suspects “have since been arraigned in court.”

The week-long enforcement exercise, conducted by the Lagos State Taskforce, targeted multiple areas including Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi, Lekki–Ajah Expressway, Bourdillon, Animashahun bus stop, Akowonjo Road, Egbeda, Fadeyi bus stop, Costain, Funsho Williams Avenue, Victoria Island, Apongbon, Jibowu, Yaba Phase 1, Lagos Island Palmgrove, Ojuelegba Road, Surulere, and adjoining roads on both the Island and Mainland.

Commissioner Wahab explained that the operations are intended to “keep roads and public spaces clear, reduce safety risks to motorists and pedestrians, and maintain environmental sanity in the state.”

He also urged residents to report any nuisance caused by street urchins, providing the state’s dedicated response lines: 09137555111 and 09138555111.

The clampdown forms part of the Lagos State Government’s ongoing efforts to curb street begging and ensure law and order, particularly along strategic roads and high-traffic areas across the metropolis.