The Lagos State Taskforce has apprehended 32 street urchins, popularly known as Omotaku, during a clean-up and enforcement operation carried out across major roads on the Island and Mainland areas of the state.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, followed repeated complaints from members of the public on social media and radio platforms over the growing activities of the street urchins, which were said to pose serious safety risks to motorists.
According to the Taskforce, areas covered during the exercise included Apongbon, Fadeyi, Jibowu, Yaba Phase 1, Lagos Island, Palmgrove, Ojuelegba, Surulere, and other adjoining roads. Officials said the suspects were observed illegally stopping articulated vehicles such as petroleum tankers, lorries, trucks, trailers, and private cars on major highways.
During the raid, 32 suspects were arrested for constituting public nuisance, obstructing road traffic, and violating the Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 and the Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017. Some of the arrested persons were also found smoking substances suspected to be hard drugs and Indian hemp.
Speaking after the operation, the Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce, CSP Adetayo Akerele, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to maintaining public safety across the state.
He said the operation restored sanity to all the affected areas and warned that enforcement actions would continue across Lagos to rid the roads of criminal elements.
All the suspects have since been charged to court.