Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has urged celebrities, influencers and members of the public to refrain from actions that inadvertently encourage the activities of street urchins, popularly known as agberos, in the state.

Wahab made the appeal in a post shared on X on Sunday after he was tagged by an X user, to a video documentary highlighting the activities of street urchins in Lagos.

Responding to the post, the commissioner said the Lagos State Government had consistently apprehended and dislodged street urchins from different parts of the state, but noted that financial support and patronage from some members of the public often undermined those efforts.

“The state government has consistently apprehended and dislodged these street urchins from various locations across the state.

“However, the continued financial support and patronage they receive from some influencers, celebrities, and members of the public, as seen in this video, inadvertently encourage them to return to the streets and, in some cases, view it as a lucrative means of livelihood, while also breeding a sense of entitlement,” he wrote.

While acknowledging the government’s responsibility to maintain safety and order, Wahab stressed that tackling the challenge also requires public cooperation.

“We therefore urge everyone to desist from activities that may inadvertently encourage lawlessness, insecurity, street begging, and environmental nuisance on our roads.

“Collective responsibility and cooperation are essential to building a safer, cleaner, and more orderly Lagos,” he added.

PUNCH Online previously reported that the Lagos State Government recently intensified its enforcement against street begging and environmental nuisance, with officials carrying out raids on suspected street urchins and beggars across parts of the state as part of efforts to improve public safety and restore order.