The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch has urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to ensure that the proposed Street Begging and Street Urchins (Prohibition, Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill 2026 protects vulnerable persons while addressing public safety concerns. At a public hearing in Ikeja, Branch Chairman Uchenna Ogunedo Akingbade presented the Law Reform Committee's memorandum, calling for measures targeting child exploitation, obstruction of public spaces, and violent or coercive solicitation. The NBA recommended that children found begging be treated as children in need of care and protection under the Child Rights Law, rather than being processed alongside adult offenders. It also sought stronger sanctions against persons who exploit children for begging and safeguards on arrest, detention, and rehabilitation, including due process, court oversight, and defined time limits.
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