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Lagos prosecutes over 5,000 environmental offenders in six months

LAGESC Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Olaniyi Cole (Rtd)

Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga

By Mary Joseph

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has prosecuted 5,000 offenders in the last six months, according to its Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Olaniyi Cole (Rtd).

Speaking at a stakeholders and community engagement meeting, Cole emphasized the agency’s commitment to making Lagos a habitable and sustainable city through daily monitoring and enforcement.

“Our team conducts regular inspections of every facility in Lagos to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and standards,” he emphasized.

Cole highlighted a recent 4-week clearance operation of railway corridors from Ikeja to Iddo, aimed at eradicating environmental nuisances and arresting criminal elements.

He also reiterated the agency’s dedication to ridding the state of environmental infractions.

Speaking earlier, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), emphasized his agency’s commitment to protecting the environment.

Ajayi, who was represented by a deputy director in the Agency, Babatunde Gbenga noted that regular inspections were conducted at every facility in Lagos to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

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In response to a question about noise pollution, Ajayi outlined LASEPA’s initiatives to mitigate the issue, including regular patrols and enforcement actions.

He also encouraged citizens to report any nuisances to the agency’s website.

Corp Marshal Cole added that street trading is banned in Lagos State and warned that offenders would be prosecuted.

He also emphasized that no one is above the law, including officials who might be extorting citizens.

Cole urged citizens to adopt positive environmental practices, such as proper waste disposal, patronizing PSP operators, and prompt payment of waste bills, to avoid prosecution.

He emphasized the importance of recycling and regular environmental sanitation to reduce communicable diseases and pollution.

“To make Lagos habitable for business, we must imbibe a culture of positive environmental practices via recycling and regular environmental sanitation to reduce the spate of communicable disease whilst discouraging pollution of the environment,” Cole said.

Cole appealed to citizens to act responsibly and shun improper behavior to evade legal consequences and reputational damage.