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Lagos Arrests, Prosecutes 31 For Environmental Offences (Photos)
In line with the resolves to rid the state of street trading and other environmental nuisance, the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts today arrested thirty-one persons for engaging in street trading and displaying of good in unauthorized places within the Lagos Island Business District.
The thirty-one persons who were arrested in different locations in Balogun street, Martins Street, Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Tom Jones and Broad streets were arraigned before the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile Court) sitting in Alausa Ikeja.
The Offenders who were arrested by operatives of the enforcement unit of the Office of the Special Adviser on Central Business districts were arraigned under Chief Magistrate Mrs Obasa Shakirat for committing an offence contrary to the Environmental Management and Protection Law of Lagos State 2017.
Their charge was read by the court and they all pleaded guilty as charged and begged the magistrate to temper justice with mercy. The Magistrate in her ruling fined thirty of the offenders twenty thousand naira each or an option to serve a jail term of one month in a correction centre. One of the offenders was however to serve one-hour community service due to the leniency of the magistrate. They where all reminded at the Ebute Ero police station pending there ability to fulfilled their bail conditions or acceptance of option of imprisonment.
Speaking on the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts, Mr Olugbenga Olarenwaju Oyerinde noted that the present administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is passionate about the cleanliness of the environment and have directed CBD officials to clamp down on all violators of environmental sanitation, traffic and physical planning laws in the State.
He once again reiterated the determination of the present administration led by Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to restore the original master plan of the Lagos Island Business Districts and its adjourning axis by checking the activities of street traders and developers who have converted all available spaces like walkways, streets and roads to shops.
Mr Oyerinde called on traders especially those selling on the streets and walkways to remove their extensions and makeshift shops from the roads immediately as no one will be spared in the present efforts to clean up the business district.