LAWMA Seals Ago Palace Premises, Arrests 11 Over Illegal Dumping
LAWMA Seals Ago Palace Premises, Arrests 11 Over Illegal Dumping
…Authority steps up enforcement as Lagos battles indiscriminate waste disposal
For residents and businesses along Ago Palace Way, the piles of refuse that sometimes line road setbacks and other public spaces are more than an eyesore. They can obstruct movement, create unpleasant surroundings and worsen sanitation problems in a busy part of Lagos.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has moved against some of the businesses and individuals linked to such practices, sealing premises along Ago Palace Way and arresting 11 persons over illegal waste disposal on Lagos Island.
The enforcement operation covered plazas, hotels, lounges and warehouses along the Ago Palace corridor, where LAWMA said activities contributing to waste build-up on road setbacks, medians and other unauthorised spaces were targeted.
On Lagos Island, the operation extended to Tinubu, Apongbon, Oke-Arin and CMC areas, resulting in the arrest of 11 persons for unauthorised handling and illegal disposal of waste.
Those arrested were Shabban Tasiu, 20; Nkechukwu Nwokeji, 40; Kolawole Elija, 28; Sunni Sado, 30; Subairu Lawal, 28; Abi Lawal, 22; Sufianu Musa, 20; Yusuf Lawan, 18; Ahmed Lawal, 25; St. Peter Eze, 23; and Udo Richard, 32.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the operations reflected the Authority’s determination to enforce existing waste management regulations and ensure that residents and businesses comply with approved disposal practices.
He warned that indiscriminate dumping could undermine sanitation gains across Lagos, particularly when waste is left on roads, walkways, drains and other unauthorised locations.
Gbadegesin urged residents, traders and businesses to properly bag their waste and hand it over to accredited Private Sector Participation, PSP, operators. He also reminded property owners and businesses that they have a responsibility for waste generated within and around their premises.
According to him, the enforcement is part of LAWMA’s broader strategy to tackle waste management violations at source, improve environmental cleanliness and encourage a lasting change in public behaviour.
He stressed that the exercise was not simply about arresting offenders, but about getting Lagos residents and businesses to understand that keeping the environment clean requires responsible action every day.
LAWMA said monitoring would continue across different parts of the state, with enforcement action taken against individuals and businesses found violating environmental regulations.
The Authority also urged members of the public to report cases of illegal dumping and other waste management violations through its established channels, stressing that a cleaner Lagos depends on the shared responsibility of government, residents, traders, businesses and other stakeholders.
