Lagos arrests 281 street urchins

The Lagos State Government has arrested 281 street urchins, popularly called Omotaku, across the state in ongoing operations to restore public safety and order.

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

The week-long operations by the Lagos State Taskforce covered areas including “Lekki Phase 1, Ikoyi, Lekki–Ajah Expressway, Bourdillon, Animashahun busstop, Akowonjo Road, Egbeda, Fadeyi busstop, Costain, Funsho Williams Avenue, Victoria Island, Apongbon, Jibowu, Yaba Phase 1, Lagos Island Palmgrove, Ojuelegba Road, Surulere and other adjoining roads on both Island and Mainland.”

Commissioner Wahab explained that the enforcement exercise is aimed at “keeping roads and public spaces clear, reducing safety risks to motorists and pedestrians, and maintaining environmental sanity in the state.”

He urged Lagosians to report any nuisance caused by Omotaku or other street urchins, stating: “Call 09137555111 or 09138555111 for swift response.”

The operations form part of the Lagos State Government’s intensified clampdown on street beggars and urchins in strategic locations, including major roads, to ensure law and order.

Source: Punch