Environmental offences: Lagos Court sentences 26 to community services, or N30,000 fine

By ugochukwu Onyenomnachi

A Magistrates’ Court, An Environmental Special Offences Court, a Magistrate Court of Lagos State District, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has imposed ₦30,000 fine per person or option of community service, on 26 persons, for engaging in reckless waste disposal across various locations in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Public Affairs, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mrs Folashade Kadiri on Tuesday in Lagos.

Environmental offenders

The statement said that the environmental offenders were arrested by the enforcement team of LAWMA in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), at different locations in the state, disposing of their refuse in unauthorised places, between the hours of 9.30 p. m and 7.00 a.m.

Commenting on the judgement, Managing Director/CEO 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”, Gbadegesin said.

He urged residents to support efforts made to sanitise the environment, by shunning acts of reckless waste disposal, having waste receptacles at home, and patronising only accredited Private Sector Participants ( PSP) operators, warning that there would be no hiding place for defaulters.

It would be recalled that 29 people were earlier sentenced to fines and community service by a Magistrates’ Court in Oshodi, for engaging in indiscriminate waste disposal, at different locations in the metropolis.