The Lagos State Government has announced plans to repatriate 226 beggars arrested during an enforcement operation carried out by state authorities as part of efforts to improve environmental order and public safety.
The individuals were apprehended by a joint team of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps during the ongoing daily clean-up exercise across the state.
Government Announces Repatriation Plan
The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed the development in a statement shared on Wednesday, noting that the operation was part of the government's continued drive to maintain a cleaner and more organised Lagos. According to Wahab, the arrested individuals would first undergo profiling and documentation before being returned to their respective states of origin.
Profiling and Documentation Process
The commissioner said the exercise was being conducted in line with existing government procedures and policies aimed at addressing environmental concerns and improving public safety. He explained that the move was not only focused on enforcement but also on ensuring proper identification and documentation of those affected by the operation.
"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 stated.
The Lagos government has continued to carry out sanitation and enforcement activities across different parts of the state, targeting actions it considers a threat to environmental cleanliness and public order. Authorities said the latest operation forms part of broader measures to sustain environmental standards and create a safer environment for residents and visitors.
Previous Discovery of Untapped Land
Previously, it was reported that the Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu-led Lagos State government discovered over 3,700 hectares of informal spaces in over 1,700 locations in the state. The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, said the discovery was as of December 2025.
