The Lagos State Government says it has rescued 1,315 vulnerable persons from streets across the state and prosecuted 459 beggars through the Mobile Court as part of intensified efforts to tackle street begging, homelessness, mental health challenges, and public disorder.
Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende,said this at the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
He said the rescue operations formed part of the state government’s broader rehabilitation and reintegration strategy aimed at restoring dignity to vulnerable persons while addressing growing social and environmental concerns across Lagos.
According to him, those rescued included 587 beggars, 560 mentally challenged persons, 143 destitute persons, and 25 street children removed from major roads and public spaces within the review period.
The Commissioner said the rescued persons were transferred to government rehabilitation facilities where they received medical attention, psychosocial support, counselling, vocational training, and rehabilitation services.
He disclosed that 459 beggars were prosecuted through the Mobile Court and sentenced to community service with an option of fine as part of measures to discourage street begging and restore orderliness in the metropolis.
“The State Government remains committed to restoring dignity to vulnerable persons through rehabilitation, counselling, vocational empowerment, and reintegration into society,” Ogunlende said.
He noted that the Rehabilitation Department, which oversees the operations, continued to deploy a multi-disciplinary approach involving psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and social workers in handling rescued persons across rehabilitation centres in the state.
Ogunlende further revealed that the Rehabilitation Training Centre currently accommodates 1,295 rehabilitees undergoing therapy and rehabilitation programmes, while 1,072 persons were admitted during the reporting period.
According to him, 998 rehabilitees, including some foreign nationals, were successfully reunited with their families after rehabilitation and placed under follow-up monitoring by the ministry’s Human Integration Unit.
The Commissioner said some rehabilitees had also been empowered through vocational programmes in tailoring, horticulture, barbing, phone repairs, and other trades to facilitate economic reintegration.
Ogunlende said the government also intensified efforts against drug and substance abuse through the Lagos State Kick Against Drug Abuse initiative, which collaborated with schools, communities, NGOs, and security agencies on advocacy and sensitisation campaigns across the state.
He stressed that the Sanwo-Olu administration would continue to strengthen rehabilitation, rescue, and reintegration programmes to reduce homelessness, street begging, and social disorder while protecting vulnerable residents across Lagos State.
Ogunlende also said the Lagos State Office of disability Affairs had continued to promote inclusion, dignity and equal opportunities through advocacy, empowerment, accessibility initiatives and strategic partnerships.
