By Felix Kuyinu
Lagos State Commisioner for Environment and Water Resources, Hon. Tokunbo Wahab, has reckoned that 3,114 violators of Environmental Laws have been arrested in the state in the last one year.
The Commissioner stated this at the State’s Ministerial Press Briefing for year 2024 held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja.
Wahab disclosed that the offenders ranging from illegal traders, highway crossing defaulters, environental polluters and cart pushers were arrested by the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC.
While noting that the Agency would continue to apprehend offenders and make them face the wrath of the law, the Commisioner revealed the significance of keeping the state tidy to be free from negative occurrences.
He hinted on the remarkable efforts put in place by the Ministry and environmental agencies to ensure adherence to environental laws saying, “Since the last one year, LAGESC has arrested a total of 3,114 people comprising illegal traders, street traders, environmental polluters and cart pushers who were prosecuted according to the 2017 Lagos State Environmental Protection Management Law.
“We also ensured that perishable food items and goods confiscated during its several enforcement raids were donated to orphanages, motherless homes and the needy as prescribed by the law. The environmental enforcement agency of the Ministry known as KAI has been in operation to compliment the functions of other agencies in Environment by ensuring adherence to the laws on sanitation.
“Following the enforcement of the use of pedestrian bridges, 1,032 persons were arrested for crossing the highway and failure to use pedestrian bridges, 165 miscreants and squatters on pedestrian bridges were also dislodged and the bridges cleaned up.
He continued “The removal of all major infractions at Orile and Abule-Egba axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was also carried out while sanity is regularly sustained by men of the Agency in other locations such as Oshodi, Ikorodu and other areas of the state.”
“The Agency in conjunction with the Special Task force effected the clearing of the rail tracks and the demolition of more than 500 shanties and illegal structures occupying Apongbon Under bridge, Lekki, Victoria Island, Agege, Obalende and the axis of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
“We have also cleared the Ijora Causeway Underbridge, Lagos Coastal Road at Maiyegun Estate, Jakande in preparatory measures for the commencement of the construction of the Lagos Calabar Coastal road”.
The commissioner also informed that various actions were taken in terms of beautifying the Lagos environment.
He said that the Lagos Signage and Advertising Company (LASAA) embarked on a comprehensive project to replace dilapidated street directional signs across the state with the aim of enhancing safety and aesthetics within urban areas.
“The Ministry, during the period under review, through its State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), undertook 367 enforcement activities in households, markets, hotels, warehouses, service centres, eateries, stores, church, mosques,” Wahab stressed.
”It also got to 140 hospital facilities, supermarkets, nightclubs, bake houses, with a view to ensuring compliance with the state environmental laws.”
The commissioner said that 76 abatement notices were served on individuals and organisations violating law on indiscriminate discharge of raw sewage into the lagoon or other forms of water and land pollution.
Wahab implored Lagosians on heeding to the incessant warnings by the government to ensure a clean environment in the state.
