Nigeria, July 9 -- The Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to prohibit street begging across the state, as lawmakers argued that the growing presence of beggars on major roads and public spaces has become a public safety and environmental concern.

In a statement from the Public Affairs Directorate of the state assembly, the proposed legislation, debated during plenary, seeks to curb street begging and establish a legal framework for addressing a persistent social problem affecting security, sanitation and the image of Nigeria's commercial capital.

During the debate, lawmakers expressed differing views on how the legislation should be implemented, with many calling for rehabilitation and so...