Stakeholders at a public hearing organised by the Lagos State House of Assembly have thrown their weight behind a proposed law seeking to prohibit street begging, street urchins and related activities across the state.
The stakeholders described the proposed legislation as long overdue, citing growing concerns over street crime, child exploitation and the alleged use of dangerous weapons by some individuals posing as beggars.
They spoke on Tuesday during the public hearing on the bill before the Assembly.
The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Uchena Akingbade, said the menace was particularly pronounced along the Lekki-Epe corridor, calling for urgent intervention and suggesting that authorities consider declaring a state of emergency in areas severely affected.
Akingbade urged lawmakers to ensure that the proposed law was clear and unambiguous, while advocating stiffer penalties for persons found begging while in possession of dangerous weapons.
She also called for a clear definition of the provision relating to the “prohibition of loitering for the purpose of begging” and urged the state government to establish additional rehabilitation centres.
Speaking on behalf of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, a White Cap Chief, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, recalled the activities of area boys and street gangs, particularly during the EndSARS period.
Oki, a former General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), said some offenders were not deterred by arrest because they allegedly believed they would soon regain their freedom, particularly where drug lords could pay fines on their behalf.
He advocated the revival of the traditional “Itekule” concept, under which offenders could be subjected to productive community service and vocational activities.
According to him, prolonged rehabilitation and hard work could be more effective in curbing the menace than repeated arrests.
“The culprits don’t see arrest as anything because they know the police nets are filled up and they know they will be out soon. What can curb the menace is to be subjected to two years of hard work,” he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Elixir Trust Foundation, Emmanuel Ikule, urged the Assembly to distinguish between criminal street begging and cases involving people suffering from mental health challenges.
He recommended that vulnerable persons with mental health conditions be referred to appropriate psychiatric and rehabilitation centres.
Ikule cited areas including Pen Cinema and Ojodu-Berger, where he alleged that some individuals had resorted to using knives at night to compel unsuspecting members of the public to give them money.
Representing the youths, Adigun Olalekan expressed support for the bill, citing the continuous influx of people into Lagos without proper identification and calling for measures to address associated security and social challenges.
A counselling psychologist, Suliat Olaniran, also raised concerns over the increasing embarrassment caused by street begging, particularly at night, when some individuals allegedly use dangerous weapons to force money from residents.
Other stakeholders called for extensive sensitisation and public enlightenment before and during implementation of the law to ensure that residents understand its provisions and objectives.
LAGOS EYE NEWS reports that the proposed legislation seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for tackling street begging and the activities of street urchins while promoting public safety, social order and environmental sanity.
It also seeks to strengthen protection against child abuse, neglect and exploitation by prohibiting parents, guardians and custodians from using or permitting children under their care to engage in street begging or hawking.
Children apprehended under the proposed law would be handled in accordance with the Lagos State Child Rights Law and referred to appropriate child welfare authorities.
The bill adopts a rehabilitation-focused approach, with first-time offenders to be cautioned and referred to designated rehabilitation centres.
Subsequent offenders could face fines or imprisonment of up to three months, while serial offenders could face imprisonment of up to two years.
The rehabilitation programme is expected to include temporary care, vocational training, literacy programmes, psychological counselling, life-skills education and other forms of social welfare support.
Chairman of the House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development, Hon. Abiodun Orekoya, said the bill recognised that street begging and the presence of vulnerable persons and young people on the streets went beyond public order.
According to him, the issue has security, socio-economic, developmental and child-protection dimensions.
Orekoya said the legislative response must be “firm and humane”, stressing that vulnerable children found on the streets should be protected rather than simply punished.
He said the bill was designed to prevent children from being exploited for economic survival while creating mechanisms for their care, education, rehabilitation and possible reintegration into their families and communities.
The lawmaker added that enforcement must remain within the bounds of the law, noting that the proposed legislation requires enforcement agencies to respect the fundamental rights guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He said the bill prohibits torture, inhumane or degrading treatment and unlawful detention, stressing that effective enforcement could coexist with respect for human dignity.
Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Miranda, who represented Speaker Mudashiru Obasa at the hearing, said the proposed legislation was not intended to deprive anyone of their fundamental rights.
She also welcomed partnerships with private-sector organisations willing to support government efforts to tackle street begging and related social challenges.
The proposed framework envisages collaboration among government agencies, the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, families, communities, traditional institutions, educational institutions, religious organisations, civil society groups and private-sector organisations.
If passed into law, the legislation would provide Lagos State with a more structured framework combining enforcement, rehabilitation, child protection and social intervention in tackling street begging and street urchin activities.
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