Over 300 residents have been arrested across the state, and scores prosecuted by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) for contravening the state’s environmental and waste disposal laws.
The arrest, which was conducted through the joint day and night surveillance effort of LAWMA and the State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), aims at identifying and apprehending individuals and businesses involved in illegal dumping across the city.
This exercise, implemented by both agencies, is designed to improve waste management, reduce pollution, promote a sustainable environment, and enhance the overall quality of life for Lagosians.
The Managing Director of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, confirmed that the agency had deployed comprehensive strategies, including the use of surveillance teams and mobile enforcement units, to monitor environmental infractions and ensure compliance with sanitation laws.
He said, “Our night surveillance and enforcement team, working with LAGESC, has apprehended over 300 people for various waste-related infractions. Many have already been charged in court, and many have been sentenced to community service. This will serve as a deterrent to those bent on derailing efforts of the Authority to sustain cleanliness of the environment”.
“I like to note some specific incidents, including the arrest of one Engr. Akinsola along Egbeda-Akowonjo Road at about 9:20 pm on February 7, 2025. The individual was caught dumping waste at the road median, claiming to be a police officer during questioning. Investigations later revealed his residence had no waste bin and was not even registered with any Private Sector Participant (PSP) for proper waste disposal. He confessed to acting under the instruction of his landlord. Legal proceedings have commenced against him”.
“In another operation on Shasha Road, 25 individuals, including six car owners, were arrested for using personal vehicles to dump large quantities of waste at the fence of Abati Primary School. Similarly, a woman identified as Fatima was caught on February 5, 2025, at 10:37 pm dumping waste near Micom Bus Stop along Akowonjo Road. Like others, her residence was not registered with any PSP. She is currently being prosecuted”, he stressed.
These arrests, according to him on Tuesday, revealed the scale of illegal dumping activities across the city, especially under the cover of darkness, with the culprits claiming ignorance of the law or blaming their landlords.
Gbadegesin referenced Section 82(1) of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, which prohibits waste dumping in unauthorised locations such as road medians, drains, and canals, noting that offenders risked fines of at least ₦25,000 and potential jail time under Section 109 of the same law.
“LAWMA will not relent in its mandate to make Lagos cleaner and safer for all. Enforcement is key, and we are leaving no stone unturned,” he insisted, adding that the Authority would continue to monitor, arrest, and prosecute offenders.
He also noted that the agency runs continuous community sensitisation programs to educate residents on proper waste disposal, and door-to-door campaigns, to promote patronage of PSP operators and ownership of waste bins under the ‘Adopt A Bin’ programme.
The LAWMA boss observed that new innovations, like the deployment of tricycle compactors and the expansion of recycling programs, would help reduce the city’s dependence on dumpsites and improve access to waste collection in difficult-to-reach areas.
He called on residents to play their part by reporting erring neighbors or landlords, patronising only registered PSPs, and taking collective ownership of their environment.
“Our goal is to prevent avoidable issues like flooding and disease outbreaks. We can’t achieve this without the support of the people. Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility. This is the era of “See something, Say something,” he added.
