Indiscriminate Refuse Dumping: LAWMA arrests cart pushers

The magistrate sentenced 16 out of the 17 environmental offenders to one week imprisonment or a fine of N5, 000 for illegal dumping of waste and defacing of the environment.

The Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) on Thursday said it has arrested 17 suspects over indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other environmental offences.

According to Hakeem Akinleye, the spokesperson of the agency, the offenders were arrested by LAWMA enforcement team at different locations in the state such as Oyingbo, Ayobo, Abule Egba, Agege Isokoko, Ikeja, and Ekoro Agbeleka, while committing the various offences.

He said most of the suspects were arrested dumping refuse indiscriminately at unapproved places, while one was arrested for open defecation.

Carts being used for refuse dumping were also impounded by the agency.

Mr Akinleye said the suspects were arraigned before the Lagos Magistrate Court at Oshodi, Isolo Local Government, and were sentenced for various offences.

The official said the magistrate sentenced 16 out of the 17 environmental offenders to one week imprisonment or a fine of N5,000 for illegal dumping of waste and defacing of the environment.

“One of the offenders was sentenced to three months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 for open defecation.”

The agency said it is ready to stamp out all forms of indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the metropolis, urging residents to imbibe the tenets of cleaner environment and proper waste disposal, as there would be no hiding place for defaulters.

Mr Akinyele said LAWMA will commence a special clean up exercise within its four operational districts, over the next one month, to clear pockets of illegal dumpsites.

247NNU reported one of such dumpsites at Gengere community, Mile 12 area of the state, where cart pushers dump wastes indiscriminately.

Reacting to the report, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Ibrahim Odumboni, said the agency would continue to arrest and prosecute as many of the cart pushers as possible and also clear pockets of illegal dumpsites.

The proposed ‘special cleanup exercise’ would start with the Lagos West District, followed by East, Central and Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) respectively, where two black spots will be identified in each district and diligently cleaned up, Mr Akinleye explained.

Also, in commemoration of the World Cleanup Day on 18 September, the agency urged Lagosians come out en masse to clean the state.

“Our PSP operators, market men and women; environmental sanitation officers; civil societies; traders; Local Government and Local Council Development Areas; CDAs and CDCs; Members of FIBRA; Recyclers; Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs); and all lovers of the environment are all enjoined to rise up to the occasion and clean up the whole state as a collective responsibility, in order to have a cleaner environment and a city of our dream”, the agency said.

Mr Odumboni said LAWMA will continue in its efforts to rid the state of all forms of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and also prosecute offenders.