Lagos — The Centre of Excellence (Lagos) Government has reiterated its commitment to enforcing environmental laws as four individuals were apprehended in separate incidents for illegally dumping refuse in public spaces.
In the Ebute-Ipakodo area earlier today, a vigilant resident alerted authorities after witnessing two people discard waste improperly. The individuals — 22-year-old Simeon Akpata and 28-year-old Oluwamotemi Otunba were confronted on the spot before being taken into custody by environmental enforcement personnel. They are expected to face immediate prosecution under existing state regulations.
Commending the concerned citizen, the Political Head (Commissioner) for the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, emphasized the shared duty of maintaining a clean city, urging residents to desist from clogging drains and littering public spaces.
In a related operation carried out in the early hours of Tuesday along the Ikorodu–Itowolo highway, officials from the Monitoring and Compliance Department of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) apprehended two men engaged in roadside dumping.
The suspects, identified as 50-year-old Victor Ayeni Akhame and 45-year-old Bisi Ajayi, were arrested at the scene. Their vehicle, used to transport and dispose of the refuse, was confiscated and secured at the LAWMA facility in Ogudu.
According to Commissioner Wahab, the suspects have been transferred to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force in Oshodi. Prosecution proceedings will be carried out by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017.
The government has restated its stance on environmental offences, reinforcing the message of its #ZeroToleranceLagos and #CleanerLagos campaigns.
