Court jails environmental offender for theft of iron rods

A Lagos Mobile Court sitting at Bolade Oshodi and presided over by Magistrate T. O. Fashina, has sentenced one Abubakar Sanni to three months in prison for vandalism and theft of iron rods at Karim Kotun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, in a statement said the convict carried out his nefarious activities under the guise of being a cart pusher.

He said, “The Authority wants to make it clear that cart pushing remains outlawed in the State. The menace of cart pushers has led to the rise in indiscriminate waste disposal, coupled with the fact that criminal elements now hide under it to perpetuate their crimes.”

Odumboni noted that the Authority, since the inception of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, had introduced various programmes and initiatives aimed at making Lagos cleaner and liveable for all, as well as empowering PSP operators to effectively discharge their statutory duties.

According to him, since the present administration assumed office, LAWMA has taken definite steps toward addressing waste management challenges in the State.

“One of such was, absorbing many of the outlawed cart pushers into the business of recycling to preserve their livelihoods. However, this magnanimous gesture of government shouldn’t be taken for granted”, he said.

He reminded the general public that it is an offence to commit any type of environmental infractions, adding that the agency would not fold its hands and watch some people destroy its efforts targeted at making the environment cleaner and healthier, as such, anyone caught contravening the Environmental Laws would face the full wrath of the law.

“Our enforcement team has been repositioned to monitor the environment across the metropolis and ensure that environmental defaulters are arrested and prosecuted. Currently, some offenders have been arrested and prosecuted for various infractions. This will serve as a deterrent to those bent on eroding the recent gains made on the environment”, Odumboni said.

He, therefore, renewed his plea for environmental friendliness, urging residents to embrace the culture of bagging and containerising their waste, just as he implored them to patronise assigned PSP operators instead of cart pushers, who engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road medians, canals and other unauthorised locations.

The LAWMA Boss also enjoined residents to call the Agency’s toll-free lines 07080601020 and 617, for all complaints and inquiries on waste management-related matters in their areas.