Lagos prosecutes nine environmental offenders, nabs fake officer

The Lagos State Environment Sanitation Corp (LAGESC) has arrested nine persons for dumping waste indiscriminately.

In a statement, Adebayo Kehinde, public relations officer of LAGESC, said the suspects were arraigned before the special offences court, (environmental unit) Samuel Ilori court in Ogba, on Thursday.

He said they were arrested during the joint operation exercise of the Lagos State Environment Sanitation Corp (LAGESC) and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) across Ikeja, Agege, Oregun, Jakande, Lekki/Epe expressway.

The offenders include: Gabriel Joel 25 (male); Segun Adekunle 30 (male); Joel Godwin 20 (male); Kabiru Aliu 44 (male); Aminu Lawal 44 (male); Christy Nwamkama (female).

Others are Ochanya Ejembi 20 (female), Mercy Amu 20 (female) and Garuba Abdul Kadiri 20 (male).

They were arraigned under chief magistrate M. A Ojo for “committing an offence for dumping of refuse illegally in a public place contrary to the environmental management and protection law 2017”.

“When their charge was read by the court, they pleaded guilty as charged and begged the magistrate to tamper justice with mercy,” the statement read.

“The magistrate ruled that the offenders be imprisoned for one week or pay a fine of N5,000. Seven out of the offenders fulfilled their bail conditions while the other defaulting two (Kabiru Aliyu and Aminu Lawal) were remanded pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions or acceptance of option of imprisonment.”

Commenting on the incident, Akinpelu Gbemisola, corps marshal of the agency, said the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, is passionate about the safety of lives and cleanliness of the environment and has directed LAGESC officials to clamp down on all violators of environmental sanitation laws in the state.

“The Lagos state government frowns sternly at impersonating its staffs and would ensure examples are made of erring individuals aiming to tarnish the excellent image of the State to feed their covetousness and laziness,” she said.

Meanwhile, a 40-year-old man identified as Hakeem Oyediji of 4, Iretioluwa street, Bolade-Oshodi, Lagos was arrested after a tip-off, while trying to extort money from illegal street traders at Bendel close, off Bishop Aboyade Cole street, Victoria Island, he has since been handed over to the police for further investigation.

It was discovered that he has been impersonating the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) who had been operating for more than three months with a fake identity card.