Simeon David Akpata, 22, and Miss Oluwamotemi Otunba, 28, were caught dumping refuse along Ebute-Ipakodo Road, Lagos, on Wednesday.
Their arrest was made possible by a concerned Lagos resident who witnessed the act, confronted the duo, and alerted enforcement agents.
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According to the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, both individuals are being processed for trial in line with the state’s environmental laws.
“While we appreciate the effort of this concerned Lagosian, we reiterate that a cleaner Lagos is a collective responsibility of everyone. Keep your environment clean and stop the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drainages,” Wahab said.
Stiff Penalties Under Lagos Law for Illegal Waste Disposal
The arrests are part of a growing wave of environmental enforcement actions across the state.
Checks by EKO HOT BLOG show that the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017—specifically Section 195—criminalises acts such as illegal waste dumping, pollution of public drains, and non-compliance with sanitation orders.
Under the law, individuals convicted of offences can be fined between ₦100,000 and ₦250,000 or face up to two years in prison. Corporate bodies risk fines ranging from ₦2 million to ₦5 million, depending on the severity of the violation.
Just a day before Akpata and Otunba were apprehended, officers of the Monitoring and Compliance Department of LAWMA arrested other individuals for dumping refuse by the roadside along the Ikorodu–Itowolo highway. The offenders were transferred to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force, while their vehicle was impounded and secured at LAWMA’s Ogudu office. Prosecution is underway through the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC).
In another operation on June 9, ten individuals were arrested during waste clearance activities along Ojo–Alaba Road and the Badagry Expressway. Vehicles spotted discharging refuse into the canal at Iba-Igando Link Bridge on June 5 were also impounded, with offenders set to face legal consequences.
Lagos Fights a Smelly Reputation
The crackdown comes amid growing criticism of Lagos’ environmental hygiene. On social media and in search engine results, the state has become Nigeria’s de facto symbol for poor sanitation.
Critics argue Lagos is unfairly scapegoated, while supporters of the enforcement campaign say the city’s population density and poor sewage infrastructure worsen the problem.
Wahab has addressed the issue in recent public comments, describing some of the criticism as efforts to “tarnish the reputation” of the state. While acknowledging that parts of Lagos struggle with drainage and waste management, he insists that residents, regardless of their background, must obey environmental laws.
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“Illegal dumping of waste, failure to pay waste bills, and misuse of public spaces are issues of law; they have nothing to do with state of origin,” Wahab said in a recent statement.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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