The Lagos State Government has apprehended 226 beggars during a coordinated enforcement operation carried out across different parts of the state as part of ongoing efforts to maintain environmental sanitation and public order.

The arrests were carried out on Thursday by a joint team comprising the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC).

The development was disclosed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, through a post on his social media handle.

According to Wahab, the exercise forms part of the state’s daily clean-up and enforcement operations aimed at promoting environmental sanity, improving public safety and ensuring a cleaner and more orderly Lagos.

“In continuation of the ongoing daily clean-up and enforcement exercise across the State, a total of 226 beggars were apprehended earlier today by a joint team comprising the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps,” the commissioner stated.

He explained that the apprehended individuals would be subjected to proper profiling and documentation before further action is taken in line with government procedures.

“The apprehended individuals will undergo proper profiling and documentation before being repatriated to their respective states of origin in accordance with established procedures and relevant government policies,” Wahab added.

The latest operation comes amid intensified efforts by the Lagos State Government to tackle street begging, environmental nuisance and other activities considered detrimental to public order in Africa’s largest city.

In recent months, the State Government has ramped up enforcement activities through the Task Force and other relevant agencies, targeting illegal street trading, environmental violations, indiscriminate waste disposal, encroachment on public spaces and street begging.

Officials have repeatedly maintained that the exercises are designed to improve sanitation standards, safeguard public infrastructure and enhance the overall quality of life for residents.

The government has also urged residents to support its environmental sustainability initiatives by complying with sanitation regulations and reporting activities capable of undermining public order and environmental safety.