“Arresting anyone solely on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not reflect the position or policy of the Lagos State Government.”
LAGOS- The Lagos State Government has clarified that there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, stressing that residents cannot be lawfully arrested simply for moving around while the exercise is ongoing.
The clarification followed an enquiry to the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, on X by Faveo Autos Limited, which sought to know the penalty for movement during the monthly sanitation exercise.
Responding to the enquiry, Mr. Wahab, explained that the monthly sanitation exercise was reintroduced to revive the culture of environmental cleanliness across the state and not to restrict the movement of residents.
According to the commissioner, while the exercise is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, the law does not provide for any restriction on movement during the sanitation period.
He emphasised that arresting anyone solely on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not reflect the position or policy of the Lagos State Government.
Wahab said the government’s priority is to encourage Lagosians to see environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility and a collective effort towards building a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable state.
Rather than relying on enforcement, he noted, the government is focused on promoting voluntary compliance and greater public participation in keeping neighbourhoods clean.
The clarification is expected to address misconceptions among residents, many of whom have long associated the monthly sanitation exercise with movement restrictions and arrests, despite the absence of any legal provision to that effect.
Residents are therefore encouraged to actively participate in cleaning their homes, streets and business premises during the exercise while continuing to observe proper waste disposal and environmental sanitation practices.
