‘I lost my 3.5KVA generator to them’: Lagosians seek remedy to thieving scavengers, cart pushers

Cart pushers and scavengers are there to collect waste where and when PSP operators in Lagos fail. However, the attendant cases of theft where the former group operate has left residents of the state calling out for solutions, writes SUBAIR MOHAMMED.

Some residents in Lagos State have expressed concerns over the increasing rate of manhole theft and vandalism of public infrastructure in the state by scavengers and scrap metal merchants operating in the state.

Some of them that spoke with Nigerian Tribune attributed manhole theft and destruction of public infrastructure as partly responsible for several accidents on Lagos roads.

These residents have therefore called on the Lagos State Government to impose stiffer measures to curb the menace of manhole theft and destruction of public infrastructure across the state.

Among the many challenges confronting residents in Lagos State is the menace of scavenging and vandalism of public assets including manhole theft. Scavengers have been on the prowl on the streets across the state, stealing valuable items and state infrastructure.   

This trend took centre stage during plenary where members of the Lagos State House of Assembly resolved to curb manhole theft and illegal activities of scavengers in the state.

In January 2025, the lawmakers debating the motion titled, “Motion to Curb the Activities of Scavengers and Manhole Theft in Lagos,” during plenary argued that if left unattended to, the activities of scavengers could lead to increasing rate of road accidents and blockage of drainage systems.  

Members of the House alleged that scavengers and scrap metal merchants have destroyed a lot of state infrastructures, causing the government to spend more on their replacement.

The mover of the motion, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) urged the state government to act fast to prevent more damage to state infrastructures.

He also called on the state government to enforce all relevant environmental laws, stating that there were adequate laws to curtail such actions.

Yishawu asked the State to stop illegal sourcing of scrap materials by scavengers and collaborate with the Community Development Associations (CDAs) to stop the activities of scavengers at the grassroots while also calling for the prosecution of any scavenger found stealing manholes or state infrastructures.

The lawmakers called on the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner for the Environment Tokunbo Wahab to sanction scavengers and cart pushers with a view to curbing their nefarious activities and replace stolen manhole covers to avoid fatal accidents.

They also called on the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAMWA) to register scavengers, waste sourcing operators and scrap dealers before they can operate in the state, arguing that Lagos is a smart city state, therefore illegal waste sourcing operation should not be allowed.

‘Scavengers do more harm than good’ 

The chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC) in Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, Mr Olabowale Kasunmu has opined that scavengers and scrap metal merchants do more harm than good to homes and public infrastructures.

According to him, they loot homes and vandalise public assets under the guise of waste clearing.

He, however, called on the Lagos State Government to take decisive steps towards monitoring their activities with a view to curbing the menace.

He said, “A scavenger was caught in the act along Yetkem road while trying to cut the generator wire at a barber’s shop. Many of them are armed with dangerous weapons. They are prepared to attack anybody that tries to stop them. Even the cart pushers have been caught severally stealing generators and other home appliances.

“They are everywhere in the LCDA. They are at the dumpsite at Oke-Odo operating like kings. They are also stationed at Ikola Powerline. These are some of the few places where stolen items are dismembered or resell to their buyers.

“The Lagos State Government needs to improve on the efficiency of PSP operators. This is because these scavengers and cart pushers perpetrate their dangerous acts on the guise of assisting in clearing waste bins for a fee, but if the LAWMA accredited PSP operators are working optimally there won’t be any need for their services.

“Secondly, the government needs to empower our youths to be able to engage in waste clearance. I am aware of the government’s waste-to-wealth initiative, but it has been taken over by foreigners. Many of them are either Nigeriens or Chadians or our brothers from the North. The government needs to encourage our youths to see this as an avenue to earn a living. They need to look at this holistically and address this issue.”  

I lost my 3.5KVA generator to cart pushers – Woman

Another resident in the Agodo community in Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Mrs Priscilla Iyalla, explained how she lost her 3.5KVA generator to cart pushers in broad daylight.

Agodo community is a small community located in the Cele-Egbe area of the state. The entire community is gated and manned by security guards with disclaimers boldly written on the gate: “Waste collectors and cart pushers are prohibited from entering.” 

However, despite such warnings, scavengers and cart pushers operate unhindered within the community.

Sharing her ordeal, Iyalla said they came into her premises disguised as waste collectors and they offered to dispose her waste. According to her, there were two waste collectors: “One held a sack hanging loosely to his shoulder while the other pushed a cart containing waste materials,” she told Nigerian Tribune.

She said they demanded N500 but she negotiated for N300 which they agreed to. “While they were emptying the waste bin, I went inside to fetch their money which I gave to one of them. I supposed this was when my 3.5KVA generator got missing.”

She explained further, “On that fateful day, one of my neighbours called a waste collector into the compound and I told them to clear my waste too. They were two in number. Meanwhile, my generator was placed not far from my waste bucket. I saw one of the two waste collectors bent beside the generator; my thought was that he was clearing the waste hidden under the generator. So I went into my apartment, fetched their money and gave it to them. It was not until around 7 o’clock at night when I told my daughter to go and switch on the generator that we discovered that it had been stolen. The waste collectors had packed it with the waste bin and they left unchallenged. That was how I lost my generator to waste collectors and since then I have not been able to buy another one.”

Eric Moore, Bode Thomas most affected – Resident

According to a security guard, Bonu Segbenu, a large number of manhole covers in Surulere have been stolen by scavengers and scrap dealers. 

Segbenu identified Eric Moore road, Bode Thomas junction and Babs Animashaun where scavengers and scrap metal dealers stole not only manhole covers but solar electricity poles leaving the entire community in darkness.

He narrated, “We caught some scavengers at the Government College, Eric Moore but they were later released by the police. This was in 2023. Since then, I have vowed never to intervene in issues relating to the destruction of public property.  They operate in the night armed with dangerous weapons. While I was returning from the church with my wife, we saw them cutting an iron pole. They held a small machine with a generator with which they cut the iron. As they were cutting the iron, they were throwing it into the school. So with the help of bystanders, they were arrested. Surprisingly, one of them brought out his phone and called the police station.

“Moments later, some policemen arrived and they were taken away. The following day, they were released and back on their job. We are looking at these scavengers as poor and illiterate but they have a very strong backing. It is not possible for them to be operating without anyone giving them directives and assuring them of their safety.

 “That’s the situation we found ourselves in this country. Public infrastructures are mainly the target. You might want to ask why are they targeting manhole covers and street light poles? These are original iron that are expensive. You’ll see them roaming the street not knowing that they are on the lookout for what to steal. The police need to intensify search and monitoring of their activities. They need to visit Ijora and Orile-Iganmu where these scavengers operate and investigate the source of the metal and other goods they are loading into the trucks to be taken out of Lagos. The discovery will be shocking.”

Two car engines stolen in one night – Mechanic

Sefiu Rafiu, an auto mechanic in Bode Thomas, an area in Surulere, recounted how his newly bought engine was stolen by scavengers the night it was bought and was recovered at Ijora.

He explained, “I removed the engine from the car and went to Owode-Onirin to buy a replacement. So when I got back from the market, it was already late and I couldn’t mount the new engine into the car. I put it in the workshop and covered it with a tarpaulin. Upon returning the following day, both the old and the new engine had gone missing. 

“I raised an alarm and we quickly constituted a search party and both engines were found at Ijora underbridge behind Breweries. Funny enough, they didn’t produce the person that sold the engine to them. This is what these guys do. They are not on the street to look for scraps but for what to steal. They need to be taken out of the streets.”

Police is on top of its game – Spokesman 

The police command in Lagos State says it is on top of its game to curb incidences of crimes and insecurity.

Reacting to alleged incidents of theft of manhole covers, spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, encouraged residents in the state to develop a healthy relationship with the police in their various communities and reach out with vital information.

He said, “This is not only about the scavengers and scrap metal vendors and merchants. I disagree with you that manhole cover theft is rampant in Lagos. If you mention one or two instances, that does not qualify it to be rampant. I refuse to narrow it down to scavengers. If we have incidents of theft then let’s call it so. The police can’t be at every square metre at a point in time. There is nowhere in the world it is like that. Every community in Lagos State has CDAs and CDCs and gated estates with their own security personnel.

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“So let them share information with the police if they see suspicious movement around them, they should contact the nearest police station. We encourage them to develop a relationship with their DPOs. Policing is everybody’s business. Most of the successes we have recorded in Lagos state so far are with the support of the people of the community who reach out to us with information.”

He added, “We are on top of our game. We are also patrolling the nooks and crannies of the state, but when things are happening those community members should quickly reach out to us to do something about it. Most of the time you’ll even have insiders’ support for these things to work, so the community should look within and reach out to police as quickly as possible.”