The Lagos State Government has reiterated that residents are free to move across the state during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, declaring that any arrest carried out solely on the grounds of movement is illegal and contrary to state policy.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the clarification on Saturday in response to public inquiries on social media regarding alleged enforcement actions and arrests by security personnel at the Ikeja Police Station.
Key Takeaways from the Statement
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No Movement Restriction: The state government has not imposed any stay-at-home order or restriction on movement during the monthly exercise.
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Unlawful Enforcement: Arrests or impounding of vehicles based strictly on movement during sanitation hours are unauthorized and violate state policy.
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Legal Basis: While the exercise is supported by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, the statute contains no provision restricting public movement.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ LAGOS SANITATION POLICY DIRECTIVE │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Governing Body : Lagos State Ministry of the Environment & Water │
│ Resources │
│ │
│ • Legal Instrument : Lagos State Environmental Management & │
│ Protection Law, 2017 │
│ │
│ • Official Status : Voluntary civic participation; zero restriction │
│ on human or vehicular movement. │
│ │
│ • Advisory : Residents are encouraged to clean immediate │
│ drainages and surroundings as a civic duty. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(Sources: Lagos State Ministry of the Environment & Official Statements)
Focus on Civic Duty Over Punitive Measures
Reassuring Lagosians, Commissioner Wahab emphasized that the reintroduction of the monthly exercise is intended to rebuild a culture of voluntary environmental cleanliness rather than penalize citizens:
“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… 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.” — Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for the Environment & Water Resources
Residents affected by unauthorized arrests or harassment have been urged to report such incidents to appropriate ministry channels for administrative review.
Ayodele Quadri
Correspondent
