The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has stepped up enforcement activities in Alimosho, leading to arrests and the sealing of properties over various environmental violations.
According to a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, the operation was carried out by LAWMA’s Project W.I.S.E (West) team, targeting indiscriminate waste disposal and illegal dumping in the Ikotun area and nearby communities.
Sanusi disclosed that during a night patrol, a 15-year-old boy was caught dumping refuse at the Ikotun-Egbe roundabout at about 10:00 p.m. He said the suspect was subsequently handed over to the task force office in Oshodi for further action.
The enforcement team also sealed a car lot located at Iroko Estate along LASU-Isheri Road for discharging waste into drainage channels. In a related development, a furniture showroom was shut down for improper waste disposal practices.
Additionally, an intention-to-seal notice was issued to a mini store at Diamond Estate for failing to engage the services of a registered Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operator.
Sanusi explained that the actions followed complaints from residents of Kaslat and Sarumi streets regarding illegal dumping and the burning of waste on a fenced but undeveloped property. The agency sealed the site and arrested a 65-year-old security guard, Abubakar Yunusa, who was allegedly involved in the activity.
Reacting to the development, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, reiterated the agency’s resolve to sustain enforcement efforts across Lagos.
He warned that offences such as illegal dumping, open burning of waste, and the use of unregistered waste handlers attract penalties under the state’s environmental laws.
Gbadegesin also urged residents to patronise only accredited PSP operators and report environmental violations through appropriate channels, assuring that the agency would continue to respond promptly to complaints and work closely with communities to maintain a cleaner environment.