Poverty is not a crime, CHRICED tells Lagos over relocation of beggars

Michael Olumide Alabi

Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has strongly condemned the Lagos State Government’s reported relocation of hundreds of persons described as beggars to their respective states of origin, describing the move as unconstitutional, discriminatory and inconsistent with Nigeria’s human rights obligations.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, CHRICED expressed concern over an announcement by the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, that 396 persons apprehended by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) would be profiled, provided assistance where necessary and returned to their states through relevant authorities.

According to the organisation, while it acknowledges the responsibility of state governments to maintain environmental sanitation, public order and security, such responsibilities must not be exercised in ways that infringe on the constitutional rights of citizens.

CHRICED maintained that poverty, homelessness and street begging should never be criminalised, stressing that every Nigerian has the constitutional right to live and move freely in any part of the country regardless of economic status.

The organisation cited Sections 41(1) and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantee freedom of movement and prohibit discrimination based on place of origin, ethnicity or other similar grounds.

It also referenced the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which protects the rights to freedom of movement, liberty, equality before the law and human dignity.

The rights group argued that relocating Nigerians, particularly those reportedly from northern states, raises serious constitutional and human rights concerns and creates the impression of internal deportation.

According to CHRICED, such actions draw uncomfortable comparisons with xenophobic practices in other countries, particularly South Africa, where foreign nationals have often been subjected to discrimination and forced displacement.

The organisation recalled that Lagos State had previously faced criticism over similar relocations of destitute persons to Anambra State in 2013 and 2014, noting that the recurrence of such incidents highlights the absence of a comprehensive national policy on homelessness and urban poverty.

CHRICED stressed that environmental enforcement should never become a tool for excluding or displacing vulnerable citizens but should instead be complemented by inclusive social welfare programmes capable of addressing the root causes of poverty.

It warned that simply transporting homeless persons across state boundaries neither addresses unemployment nor reduces poverty, but merely transfers responsibility while risking ethnic profiling, discrimination and unnecessary tensions among states.

The organisation further questioned whether the affected persons genuinely consented to the relocation, insisting that any movement of vulnerable citizens without their free and informed consent would amount to a violation of their constitutional rights.

To address the growing challenge of homelessness and street begging, CHRICED called on governments at all levels to adopt sustainable, rights-based interventions.

Among its recommendations are the establishment of temporary shelters and rehabilitation centres, improved access to healthcare and psychosocial support, vocational and skills acquisition programmes, employment and livelihood opportunities, expanded social protection initiatives, and stronger collaboration among federal and state welfare agencies to develop long-term reintegration strategies.

The organisation also urged the Lagos State Government to publicly clarify whether the relocation exercise was entirely voluntary and supported by documented evidence of informed consent from those affected.

It appealed to the Federal Government, the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and civil society organisations to develop clear national guidelines for addressing homelessness and street begging in ways that respect human dignity while allowing states to pursue legitimate environmental and public safety objectives.

CHRICED concluded that Nigeria’s constitutional guarantee of one citizenship must be respected at all times, insisting that no Nigerian should be treated as an outsider or made to feel like a foreigner anywhere within the country’s borders.