Lagos Govt, Police Order Street Beggars, Traders To Leave State
The Lagos administration has ordered beggars and vendors on the streets to leave the state.
There has been the formation of a Special Task Force. According to officials, criminals hide behind such acts in order to assault vehicles and people.
Olusegun Dawodu, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development; Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information; and Hakeem Odumosu, Commissioner for Police, held a joint briefing in Alausa.
The task group, according to Dawodu, was formed to sanitize society and restore the dignity of beggars and hawkers.
The special team will begin operations next week to stop people from disguising themselves and using hazardous weapons to assault and rob people.
The government will devote human and material resources to educating and sensitizing the public.
Dawodu believes it is past time for Lagos’ rules to be enforced so that normalcy can reign.
Instead of giving to roadside alms seekers, he recommended individuals and businesses to donate to registered homes, orphanages, rehabilitation centers, and faith-based organizations.
“Street begging is a social vice that we cannot afford to watch until it attains an uncontrollable level. Otherwise, all the good plans and programmes would be adversely affected. The same goes for street hawking.
“This has become big business. Our investigation revealed that beggars and hawkers are transported regularly from other parts of the country to Lagos with the sole aim of doing this odious business.”
In his remarks, Odumosu declared that the era of condoning trading and alms begging on Lagos roads was over.
