The Lagos Waste Management Authority has arrested three individuals for allegedly dumping waste in unauthorized locations in Ketu-Alapere. The operation took place between 8 and 9 May during an overnight surveillance exercise conducted by LAWMA's Waste Infractions Surveillance and Investigation Team. Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab confirmed the arrests in a statement posted on his X account on Sunday.
The three were apprehended while disposing of waste at unapproved sites. Officials traced them to their residences to determine the reasons behind the actions, according to the statement. Preliminary findings revealed that the properties linked to the suspects lacked proper waste storage facilities and were not registered with licensed Private Sector Participant operators responsible for waste collection in the area.
All affected properties have been documented and forwarded to LAWMA's legal department for prosecution. Sanitation crews also cleared multiple waste blackspots identified during the operation to discourage further illegal dumping. The move is part of a broader enforcement push by the Lagos State Government to address environmental violations.
In recent months, LAWMA has intensified actions against illegal waste disposal, open defecation, and related sanitation offences. The agency says Lagos generates between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of waste daily, with non-compliance and indiscriminate dumping worsening the crisis. The state has also reinstated monthly environmental sanitation exercises to improve hygiene and reduce flooding from blocked drains.
In February, a Lagos magistrate's court fined 17 residents for open defecation and urination. Wahab reiterated the government's stance on enforcing environmental laws, warning that illegal dumping poses serious public health and environmental risks.
Tokunbo Wahab enforces waste laws against residents who lack registered collection services the state failed to ensure they had. Properties without approved waste storage are being prosecuted despite no mention of prior warnings or access to legal disposal options. If compliance depends on registration, then enforcement without confirmed access to service providers places the burden solely on residents. This raises questions about whether the state is punishing failure to comply or failing to enable compliance in the first place.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Full disclaimer →
