- Lagos Residents Free to Move During Monthly Sanitation, Says Commissioner
- Says No One Should Be Arrested for Movement During Sanitation Exercise
- The clarification comes amid a widespread belief among many Lagos residents that movement is prohibited between the early hours of the monthly sanitation exercise and 10 a.m
The Lagos State Government has clarified that there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, warning that residents should not be arrested simply for moving around during the exercise.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the clarification on Saturday in response to a complaint by an X user, Faveo Autos, who alleged that someone was arrested and taken to the Ikeja Police Station during the exercise.
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Reacting to the post, Wahab stated that any arrest based solely on movement during the monthly sanitation exercise is unlawful and does not reflect the policy of the Lagos State Government.
“For clarity, there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise. Consequently, arresting anyone on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not represent the position or policy of the Lagos State Government,” he said.
The commissioner explained that the monthly sanitation exercise was reintroduced to promote environmental cleanliness and is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017.
He, however, stressed that the law does not authorise any restriction on residents’ movement during the exercise.
According to Wahab, the government’s objective is to encourage Lagosians to see environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility rather than relying on enforcement actions.
“Our focus is on encouraging Lagosians to embrace environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility and a shared commitment to maintaining a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Lagos, rather than relying on enforcement measures,” he added.
The clarification comes amid a widespread belief among many Lagos residents that movement is prohibited between the early hours of the monthly sanitation exercise and 10 a.m., prompting many to remain indoors for fear of being arrested.
