Lagos State House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill seeking to outlaw street begging across the state, with lawmakers expressing concern over the growing number of beggars on highways and other public spaces, describing the trend as a threat to public safety and environmental sanitation.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Public Affairs Directorate of the Assembly.

According to the statement, the proposed legislation is designed to prohibit street begging and provide a legal framework for addressing what lawmakers described as a persistent social challenge affecting security, public hygiene and the image of Lagos as Nigeria’s commercial hub.

During deliberations on the bill at plenary, members of the Assembly offered varying perspectives on its implementation, with many advocating rehabilitation and welfare support for beggars instead of relying solely on punitive measures.

The bill comes on the heels of renewed efforts by the Lagos State Government to curb street begging. On Tuesday, the government announced the arrest of 396 beggars during a statewide enforcement operation, stating that those apprehended would be profiled before being repatriated to their respective states of origin.

Speaking during the debate, the member representing Surulere Constituency I, Desmond Elliot, urged the government to adopt a humane approach, particularly in dealing with children found begging on the streets.

He recommended that vulnerable children be removed from the streets and enrolled in rehabilitation programmes where they could receive proper care, education and other social support, while relevant government agencies should be strengthened to effectively carry out their responsibilities.

Also contributing, the lawmaker representing Ikorodu Constituency II, Aro Moshood, called for a thorough review of the bill to prevent possible misuse or misinterpretation by law enforcement agencies when the legislation eventually takes effect.

Bonu Solomon, who represents Badagry Constituency I, argued that a large number of street beggars in Lagos were not indigenes of the state. He suggested that beyond targeting those engaged in begging, the legislation should also discourage indiscriminate almsgiving by members of the public, noting that such acts often encourage the practice.

Similarly, Noheem Adams, representing Eti-Osa Constituency I, described the bill as a timely initiative and proposed that street beggars be moved to rehabilitation centres where they could receive vocational training, counselling and other forms of empowerment.

He noted that states such as Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Anambra and Abia, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, had already introduced measures to address street begging.

In his remarks, Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, acknowledged that supporting the less privileged remained a noble act but stressed that the increasing incidence of street begging had become a growing security concern.

Obasa suggested the establishment of structured channels through which charitable donations could reach genuinely vulnerable persons, while ensuring that those found begging on the streets are rehabilitated and successfully reintegrated into society.

He further directed that the proposed legislation be aligned with existing laws to facilitate effective implementation once passed.

At the end of the debate, the Speaker referred the bill to the House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development for further legislative scrutiny, directing the committee to submit its report within two weeks.

The House subsequently adjourned plenary indefinitely.