No Restriction on Movement During Lagos Environmental Sanitation Exercise, Says Wahab

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has clarified that there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, warning that arresting residents for moving around during the exercise is unlawful.

Wahab gave the clarification on Saturday, July 25, in response to an inquiry by an X user, #favourautos, who asked about the fine for movement during the sanitation exercise while sharing an image of Ikeja Police Station with vehicles reportedly impounded for offences linked to the exercise.

The commissioner said the Lagos State Government did not place any ban on movement during the exercise, adding that any arrest based solely on movement does not reflect government policy.

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“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,” Wahab said.

He explained that the monthly exercise was reintroduced to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across the state.

According to him, the initiative is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, but the legislation does not provide for any restriction on movement during the exercise.

“The monthly environmental sanitation exercise was reintroduced primarily to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across the state,” he said.

Wahab said the government’s priority was to encourage residents to see environmental sanitation as a civic duty rather than depend solely on enforcement measures.

“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,” the commissioner added.