Inside Lagos: When Daylight Robbers Disguise as Beggars

For many Lagos motorists, the tap on the car window is part of the daily soundtrack of traffic.

Street urchins in recent times in Lagos have always disguised as beggars, starting conversations with motorists in traffic like: “Baba, abeg, help me.” “Madam, anything for me?”

Sometimes it is a child stretching out a hand. Sometimes it is a young man carrying water, snacks or other items between rows of stationary vehicles. And sometimes, motorists say, the person approaching the vehicle may have an entirely different objective.

In recent months, concerns over street urchins, aggressive beggars and suspected traffic robbers have grown in parts of Lagos, with motorists reporting incidents in which people appearing to be beggars or hawkers allegedly use traffic congestion to get close enough to steal vehicle parts, phones and other valuables.

The issue gained fresh attention in December 2025 when the Lagos State Police Command announced the arrest of 14 suspected traffic robbers along the Lekki-Epe Expressway following complaints from motorists about thefts while they were trapped in traffic. The arrests were made by the Tactical Squad, Elemoro, at different locations along the busy corridor.

The police action followed complaints from motorists, including technology and finance content creator Fisayo Fosudo, who said his vehicle had been targeted repeatedly. In one incident, he said, his windshield cover was forcibly removed while he was stuck in traffic.

Another motorist who raised concerns online alleged that some suspects disguise themselves as beggars or hawkers while targeting particular vehicle parts, especially side mirrors. The claim is an allegation by a motorist, not evidence that ordinary beggars or hawkers are involved in crime.

But the experiences reported by motorists show why the fear is spreading.

A December 2025 investigation by The Nation described how groups of underage children were seen moving between vehicles around the Lekki-Epe corridor, sometimes begging and at other times touching side mirrors, wipers and other parts of vehicles. In one account, a reporter said several children surrounded his car, peered inside and handled parts of the vehicle before persistent honking drove them away.

For a driver caught in Lagos traffic, the vulnerability is obvious.

The vehicle is barely moving. There may be cars packed tightly on both sides. A driver is watching the traffic light, checking the road ahead, listening to a phone call or trying to get home before another downpour turns the journey into a nightmare.

That is when someone walks up to the window.

The driver may initially see only a child asking for money. But another person could be standing on the opposite side of the car. Someone else may be watching the boot. Another may be checking whether the driver has left a phone on the passenger seat.

The congestion that frustrates Lagos motorists can therefore become an advantage for criminals.

The problem is particularly worrying on roads where traffic regularly slows to a crawl. The Lekki-Epe corridor has repeatedly featured in complaints about street crime and vehicle-part theft. Motorists have also reported concerns around areas such as Ajah, Ikate, Victoria Island and other busy sections where vehicles can remain stationary for long periods.

And it is not only people in expensive cars who are worried.

A broken-down vehicle can turn an ordinary traffic problem into a security nightmare.

One motorist interviewed by The Nation described how her tyre burst near a traffic light around the 1004 area of Lekki. She said several people quickly surrounded her after she stopped, while she later suspected that a damaged section of the road may have contributed to the tyre problem. She said she paid ₦20,000 before leaving the area, in addition to ₦8,000 spent changing the tyre. These are her allegations and have not been independently established.

That kind of experience explains why some Lagos motorists would rather keep driving on a damaged tyre than stop in an unfamiliar or isolated location.

It also shows how the problem of street touts goes beyond begging.

In Lagos, informal street operators occupy a complicated space. Some genuinely sell goods or provide services. Some beg because they have no other means of survival. Others work around motor parks, garages and transport routes. But alongside these legitimate survival activities is a persistent problem of harassment, intimidation, extortion and petty crime.

Commercial drivers have repeatedly complained about the financial pressure created by unofficial payments.

A November 2025 report by Blueprint quoted commercial transport operators alleging that they were required to make payments to transport union officials and other agents at parks and at various points along their routes. One driver said such payments could amount to ₦1,000 or more on some trips and that refusal could result in harassment, obstruction or damage to vehicles.

The Lagos State Government has also acknowledged the problem of illegal payments to street touts.

In February 2025, the government warned motorists against paying touts for unauthorised parking on bridges and open spaces. It specifically identified areas including Ebute-Ero, Ejalonibu, Adeniji-Adele, Oyingbo, Oworonsoki, Iyana-Ipaja and Medical Road around Computer Village as locations where vehicles were being parked illegally and motorists were allegedly paying street urchins for parking privileges.

This creates a troubling culture in which citizens can become accustomed to paying whoever appears to control a particular stretch of road.

Need to park? Pay. Need to load passengers? Pay. Need to stop? Pay.

Vehicle breaks down? Someone may demand money.

And when a motorist refuses, the situation can quickly become confrontational.

The danger is that such a system gradually turns public space into a marketplace controlled by intimidation.

For residents, the consequences are not always measured in stolen mirrors or damaged cars. There is also the psychological toll.

A driver who has once had a phone snatched through an open window may never feel comfortable winding down the glass again. A woman travelling alone may hesitate to stop when her car develops a fault. A parent carrying children may become frightened when a group of young men suddenly surrounds the vehicle.

Even genuine beggars can become victims of this growing suspicion.

A person who is genuinely hungry and asking for help may now be viewed as a potential criminal because motorists have become conditioned to expect trouble.

That is why the problem cannot be solved simply by treating every person on the street as a criminal.

The reality is more complicated.

Some of the children seen begging in traffic are themselves vulnerable. The Nation reported that underage children operating along the Lekki-Epe corridor described begging as a means of survival, while also facing dangers including road accidents and other forms of abuse.

Removing them from the road without addressing where they came from, who is responsible for them and how they survive may only move the problem from one junction to another.

But vulnerability cannot be allowed to become a shield for criminality.

A child begging for food is not the same as a person using a begging routine to scout vehicles for theft. A legitimate hawker is not automatically a tout. And an authorised transport worker should not be confused with someone collecting money through intimidation.

The authorities therefore face the difficult task of making those distinctions clearly.

Policing must become more intelligence-driven around known traffic-crime hotspots. CCTV and other surveillance systems can help identify repeat offenders. Plain-clothes officers can monitor locations where motorists frequently report thefts. Rapid-response teams should be able to reach motorists who report attacks or harassment.

There is also a need for clearer identification of legitimate transport officials and enforcement personnel.

This is important because even the Lagos State Government has previously had to distance itself from allegations involving unidentified people wearing tactical clothing. In April 2025, the Lagos State Taskforce said it was not responsible for an alleged extortion incident involving a woman and her mother at Anthony inward Ketu and reminded residents that officials have identifiable numbers.

For ordinary Lagosians, the message should be equally clear: nobody should be forced to hand over money simply because another person has positioned himself at a bus stop, parking area or roadside and claims authority.

The answer, however, cannot be enforcement alone.

Lagos needs a stronger social response for vulnerable children, beggars and unemployed youths who have been pushed into dangerous street economies. Skills programmes, rehabilitation, shelters, family tracing and access to education can help prevent vulnerable people from repeatedly returning to the roads.

At the same time, people who deliberately exploit the appearance of vulnerability to steal or intimidate must face prosecution.

Motorists also need to adjust their habits. Keep doors locked in heavy traffic. Avoid displaying phones and expensive valuables. Do not leave windows wide open in congested areas. If a vehicle breaks down in an isolated location, seek help through a trusted mechanic, security service or emergency channel rather than allowing a crowd of strangers to take control of the situation.

And perhaps most importantly, motorists should avoid confronting suspected thieves themselves.

The streets of Lagos can change character within seconds.

A traffic jam can become a marketplace. A marketplace can become a loading point. A loading point can become a scene of confrontation. And an apparently harmless person asking for money can sometimes be part of a much bigger problem.

But there is another side to the story that should not be lost.

Behind the statistics and complaints are people trying to survive. Some children should be in school, adults without stable jobs and families who have turned to the streets because they see few alternatives.

The challenge for Lagos is to protect those people without allowing criminal elements to exploit their vulnerability.

The December 2025 arrest of 14 suspected traffic robbers shows that enforcement can disrupt organised street crime. But the continued complaints suggest that arrests alone will not end the cycle.

Lagos has spent years fighting traffic, congestion and disorder. The next battle is increasingly about what happens inside the traffic.

Because for the driver sitting behind the wheel, the biggest fear may no longer be how long it will take to get home.

It may be who will reach the car window first.