Ten residents were arrested by the Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) for illegally dumping waste in various parts of the community. The arrests were carried out by the LCDA's newly inaugurated Environmental Monitoring Corps (EMC) at locations including Ikotun Roundabout, Oju-Odo, Ikotun BRT Bus Stop, and Igando. Ayinde Akinsanya, executive chairman of the LCDA, confirmed the development in a statement issued Tuesday, noting the group consisted of two women and eight men. They were caught disposing of refuse by the roadside despite prior warnings through radio broadcasts and community engagements.
Akinsanya stated that the offenders were made to sign undertakings admitting their actions and were directed to pay fines to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). He warned that failure to comply would lead to legal action. "We are addressing environmental violations with strict enforcement, and anyone caught will face the wrath of the law," he said. The chairman reiterated that illegal dumping poses serious risks to public health and the environment. Residents have been urged to stop dumping waste indiscriminately and to engage approved Private Sector Participants (PSPs) for proper disposal.
A single enforcement sweep netting ten people suggests the scale of non-compliance is wider than official warnings have so far managed to curb. Ayinde Akinsanya's push for fines and signed undertakings may create short-term deterrence, but without sustained presence and accessible disposal alternatives, roadside dumping will persist. For residents in Ikotun and beyond, the real test is whether enforcement outlasts the novelty of the new corps.
