The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Adelaja Adeoye, has said his administration will reform and reintegrate Agberos into society rather than drive them off the streets if elected in 2027.
Adeoye said the activities of Agberos, commonly associated with street-level transport operations and intimidation, were partly linked to a lack of empowerment and alternative livelihood opportunities.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Sunday, the APM candidate said his approach would focus on changing their mindset, empowering them and providing opportunities for them to become productive members of society.
“Well, the Agbero, of course, Agberos are our children, they are our people, but it is just that they are not empowered enough. That is why you see some of them, they do what they do,” he said.
Adeoye said rather than remove them from the streets, his government would seek to address the underlying issues responsible for their activities and give them alternative opportunities.
“All we need to do is to call them together and give them a better alternative and reset the way they think so that they can be useful part of our society,” he said.
He added that some of them could become useful contributors to government and society if given the opportunity to change.
“Some of them will tell you that we cannot even use some of them as commissioners when we change their mind. They will see something better to do,” he said.
The governorship candidate insisted that his proposed approach would prioritise rehabilitation and reintegration rather than exclusion.
“So there are no people that we are going to chase away. We are going to bring them and reform them and reintegrate them back into legal society,” Adeoye said.
He also alleged that some individuals had been used to intimidate political opponents and disrupt campaign activities in Lagos.
According to him, his campaign posters had been torn down, while posters of the APC governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, had been pasted over them in different parts of the state.
“Yes, the video is everywhere.
They are even pasting Dr. Obafemi Hamzat’s poster on my poster across Lagos streets. You can see it, it’s not an allegation. I have concrete evidence.
I’ve even reported it to security operatives,” he said.
Adeoye maintained that those involved in such activities should be given opportunities to change and contribute positively to society rather than remain involved in intimidation and other unlawful activities.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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