Lagos: Vulnerable Children Transported in Black Maria Vans Amid Crackdown

• Lagos authorities are using "Black Maria" vans to transport minors apprehended during environmental enforcement operations.
• Concerns have been raised regarding the safety, dignity, and due process rights of these vulnerable children.
• A viral video showed Kick Against Indiscipline operatives forcing beggars, including minors, into one of these vans.
• The vehicles, officially renamed "Green Maria" in 2018, have a controversial history, including a 1980 tragedy where 50 men suffocated.
• Over 10,000 arrests have been made in Lagos over the past year for various environmental offenses, with children among those apprehended.

The practice of transporting vulnerable children and teenagers in these vans during Lagos street crackdowns raises profound questions about Nigeria's commitment to child protection due process.

Lagos authorities have intensified environmental enforcement operations, leading to the apprehension of numerous individuals, including vulnerable children and teenagers, who are subsequently transported in vehicles colloquially known as "Black Maria" vans. This practice has ignited significant concerns regarding the safety, dignity, and due process rights of these minors, as well as the adequacy of existing child protection safeguards.

A widely circulated video, shared in June by Tokunbo Wahab, the state Commissioner for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, depicted operatives from the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) unit apprehending beggars on a Lagos street. The footage showed individuals, some of whom were minors, being lifted and compelled into a large, enclosed van with green-tinted windows – a vehicle commonly recognized as a "Black Maria." Commissioner Wahab confirmed that this particular operation resulted in the apprehension of 45 beggars.

Further enforcement actions by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps targeted areas including Oshodi, Agege, and CMS. These operations led to the arrest of 22 beggars, comprising both adults and teenagers, in Oshodi and Agege. Additionally, 14 adults and nine children were taken into custody at CMS. Authorities indicated that similar clearance operations were underway in other parts of the state, specifically along Admiralty Way in Lekki and Addo Road in Ajah, underscoring a broad effort in Lagos's street crackdown on minors and other alleged environmental offenders.

The state government significantly escalated its environmental enforcement efforts starting May 25, resulting in a staggering 10,634 arrests across Lagos within a single year. Data provided by Commissioner Wahab detailed these arrests: 5,715 individuals for illegal highway crossing, 3,886 for offenses such as street trading, environmental pollution, and cart pushing, 102 for open defecation, and 931 for various waste management-related infractions.

The use of "Black Maria" vans for transporting apprehended individuals, particularly children, has drawn scrutiny due to the vehicles' contentious history and reputation in Nigeria. These bulky, enclosed vans, often painted green in their current iteration, have long been a familiar sight during street raids, used to convey those accused of offenses like hawking, street trading, and other environmental violations.

Historically, these vehicles served as primary transport for prisoners and suspects by police and prison services, moving them to courts or detention facilities, including awaiting-trial inmates. Throughout their operational history, "Black Maria" vans faced persistent criticism for being severely overcrowded, poorly ventilated, and excessively hot, conditions that raised serious human rights concerns. In a significant move in 2018, the Federal Government officially rebranded these vehicles as "Green Maria," intending to symbolize a shift towards rehabilitation rather than punitive measures. However, the popular moniker "Black Maria" persists, and the vehicles continue to evoke memories of past abuses.

A tragic incident in March 1980, known as the Black Maria Tragedy, saw 50 men reportedly suffocate to death inside a packed police van in Lagos, sparking national outrage. During Nigeria's military regimes, these vans became potent symbols of political persecution, frequently appearing in protests, artistic expressions, and the anti-military music of the late Afrobeat icon, Fela Kuti. Their continued deployment in Lagos environmental enforcement operations, especially when involving children, prompts questions about whether the historical connotations and inherent issues of these vehicles align with modern child protection standards.

The practice of transporting vulnerable children and teenagers in these vans during Lagos street crackdowns raises profound questions about Nigeria's commitment to child protection due process. Observers have voiced concerns about the appropriateness of using such vehicles for minors, especially given the vans' notorious past and the potential for psychological and physical distress in overcrowded, enclosed spaces.

The apprehension and transport of children in this manner necessitate a rigorous examination of whether their fundamental rights are being upheld, including their right to dignity, safety, and proper legal procedures. The lack of immediate clarity on whether apprehended minors are being taken to correctional centers or other facilities further compounds these concerns, highlighting potential gaps in juvenile justice compliance.

For legal professionals and compliance officers in Lagos, these incidents underscore the critical need to be aware of potential human rights violations. Advising clients on robust child protection safeguards and ensuring adherence to juvenile justice principles becomes paramount when dealing with enforcement actions that involve minors. The ongoing use of these vans, despite their rebranding, serves as a stark reminder of the historical challenges in ensuring humane treatment within the justice system, particularly for the most vulnerable segments of society.

Lawyers and compliance officers in Lagos should be aware of potential human rights and due process violations concerning the arrest and transportation of minors in 'Black Maria' vans during environmental enforcement operations, advising clients on child protection safeguards and juvenile justice compliance.

Source: Original reporting via VICTOR AYENI