The Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association has expressed support for the objectives of the proposed Street Begging and Street Urchins (Prohibition, Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill 2026, while demanding stronger safeguards for vulnerable persons.
NBA Lagos Chairman Uchenna Akingbade presented the branch’s position during a public hearing at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The branch acknowledged concerns surrounding organised begging, exploitation of children, obstruction of public spaces and aggressive solicitation, but warned that legislation and enforcement must distinguish between criminal conduct and people living in poverty or requiring social protection.
The NBA consequently called for clear rules governing arrest, detention and rehabilitation, bringing human-rights and social-welfare considerations into the proposed regulatory framework.
The debate places a wider question before lawmakers: whether street-management legislation can address exploitation and public-order concerns without criminalising socioeconomic vulnerability.
Source: PUNCH
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