Seven jailed six weeks for dumping waste on Lagos roads

By Olasunkanmi Akoni The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has secured the conviction of seven persons for indiscriminate disposal of waste on road medians and other unauthorised locations in Mushin, Bariga and Ikorodu. The convicts were each sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment by a Magistrate Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, after pleading guilty to the offences.

The Executive Director, Finance, LAWMA, Kunle Adebiyi, disclosed this at Ijora-Olopa on Friday. The convicts were identified as Azeez Olawale, Ibrahim Alani, Ismail Lawal, Segun Sunday, Seun Olawale, Aliu Musa and Mustapha Muazu. Adebiyi described the convictions as a warning to residents who violate environmental sanitation regulations, noting that indiscriminate waste disposal posed serious threats to public health, environmental safety and the city’s appearance.

He urged residents to patronise registered Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators for proper waste collection and desist from dumping refuse on road medians, drainage channels and other unauthorised locations. He said LAWMA would sustain its enforcement operations and ensure that environmental offenders were prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Adebiyi reiterated that maintaining a clean and healthy Lagos required collective responsibility, urging residents to adopt proper waste disposal practices and support the authority’s efforts to improve environmental sanitation across the state.