Court Convicts 26 Lagos Environmental Offenders

No fewer than twenty-six individuals have been sentenced to community service by a magistrate court in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State for indiscriminately dumping waste in various parts of the state.

The Environmental Special Offences Court of Lagos State District, presided over by Magistrate Mcdavies Amore, also imposed a fine of N30,000 per person or the option of community service on the offenders to punish their reckless disposal of waste in unauthorized locations across the state.

Naija News understands that the offenders were arrested by the enforcement team of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) during the hours of 9:30 pm and 7:00 am.

Commenting on the judgement, the managing director, and chief executive officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that the ongoing joint enforcement action by the Authority had been intensified, in line with the zero-tolerance policy of the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“The era of recklessness and disdain for the environment is over. Anyone caught under whatever guise will be made to face the wrath of the law. The exercise is a continuous one,” he said.

Residents are encouraged to support the ongoing efforts to maintain a clean and healthy environment by avoiding reckless waste disposal, keeping waste receptacles at home, and only patronizing accredited PSP operators.

Naija News understands that 29 people were earlier sentenced to fines and community service by a magistrate’s court in Oshodi, for engaging in indiscriminate waste disposal, at different locations in the metropolis.