How Scavengers Are Causing Havoc In Lagos State

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Residents and the Lagos State Government have raised fresh concerns over the increasing havoc being caused by the activities of scavengers, popularly known as “iron condemn”, across various parts of the state.

 

Scavengers, who move from street to street collecting scrap metals, condemned iron, plastics and other recyclable materials with wheelbarrows, have become a common sight in Lagos. While some of them are involved in genuine waste recycling, the activities of many others have been linked to vandalism, theft and security challenges.

 

Investigations across Ikeja, Mushin, Alimosho, Oshodi-Isolo, Agege and Lagos Mainland show a pattern of missing manhole covers, stolen electric cables, vandalized street light poles, damaged transformer components and stolen drainage barriers, all of which are often sold as scrap metal.

 

Reacting to the development, the Lagos State Government has described the activities of unregulated scavengers as a serious environmental and security threat.

 

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Hon. Barr. Tokunbo Wahab, had on several occasions warned that the state would no longer tolerate indiscriminate scavenging and vandalism of public infrastructure under the guise of collecting scrap.

 

According to the Commissioner, the state government, through the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, has banned scavenging activities on landfill sites and major roads, especially during late night hours.

 

He stated that many public assets provided with taxpayers’ money are being destroyed by scavengers, and the government has directed enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone caught vandalizing public property.

 

“The activities of these scavengers pose a danger to the environment and to lives. We have cases of manhole covers removed, creating open death traps for motorists and pedestrians. This is unacceptable,” a senior official in the Ministry of Environment said.

The government noted that some Local Government task force teams have already arrested several scavengers in recent enforcement exercises across the state.

 

An environmental and urban planning expert, Dr. Femi Alade of the University of Lagos, said the situation requires urgent regulation and not just enforcement.

 

Dr. Alade explained that while waste picking plays a role in the recycling value chain, the lack of proper identification and regulation has allowed criminal elements to infiltrate the trade.

 

“What we have is a largely informal sector that is not documented. When you don’t have data, identification and designated collection centres, you create room for abuse. Some of them don’t just pick waste, they steal metals from homes, construction sites and public infrastructure,” Dr. Alade said.

 

He recommended that scavengers should be profiled, registered into cooperatives, given uniforms and identity cards, and restricted to designated hours and collection points to separate genuine waste pickers from vandals.

 

The consequences of the unchecked activities of scavengers in Lagos are already visible and costly.

First, there is the danger to human lives. Open manholes and stolen drainage covers have led to accidents, especially at night and during rainfall, when pedestrians and motorists fall into uncovered pits. Several vehicles have also been damaged.

 

Second, there is huge financial loss to the state government. The government spends billions of Naira annually replacing stolen manhole covers, street light cables, and road barriers vandalized by scavengers.

 

Third, residents now live in fear of theft. Many communities report cases of stolen generators, air conditioner parts, iron gates, and other metal items kept outside homes. Some community leaders also allege that some scavengers conduct surveillance for burglary operations.

 

Fourth, there is a security implication. Security agencies have expressed concern that unregulated movement of scavengers from house to house and street to street poses a risk, as it becomes difficult to track criminal elements hiding under the trade.

 

Stakeholders have therefore, called on the Lagos State Government to intensify enforcement, ensure proper registration of genuine waste recyclers, and create awareness for residents to report suspicious activities.

 

They also urged residents to avoid patronizing scavengers without proper identification and to support government efforts to protect public infrastructure in the state.