LAWMA Seeks Police Protection As Waste Workers Face Attacks, Illegal Dumping Persists
For the men and women who sweep Lagos streets, evacuate mountains of refuse and keep waste facilities running, the job is becoming more than a fight against dirt — it is increasingly a battle for their own safety.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is therefore seeking stronger support from the Police and other security agencies to protect its personnel and infrastructure from attacks, while tackling the growing problem of indiscriminate waste dumping across the state.
The call was made by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, at the State Police Command, GRA, Ikeja.
Gbadegesin said the rapid growth in Lagos’ population had continued to place enormous pressure on the state’s waste management system, with between 13,000 and 16,000 tonnes of waste generated daily across the metropolis.
But beyond the sheer volume of refuse, he said LAWMA was increasingly concerned about the dangers confronting its workers as they carry out their duties.
According to him, some enforcement officers, street sweepers and workers deployed to evacuate illegally dumped waste have faced resistance and attacks from unauthorised persons, including armed scavengers.
For the waste workers who have to enter areas where refuse has been illegally dumped, such encounters can turn a routine assignment into a potentially dangerous one.
Gbadegesin said stronger police intervention was therefore needed around LAWMA facilities, dumpsites and other locations identified as hotspots for illegal activities.
He explained that LAWMA was already stepping up waste collection, infrastructure development, recycling and resource recovery, but stressed that these efforts could only succeed when supported by effective enforcement.
“We are committed to working closely with the Police and other relevant security agencies to restore order around waste management facilities, protect our personnel and infrastructure, and ensure that anyone who assaults or obstructs our officers while performing their lawful duties is made to face the consequences of such actions,” he said.
The LAWMA boss also appealed for stronger action against indiscriminate dumping, warning that the practice does not only create an eyesore but adds to the burden of workers who must later return to clear the refuse.
Responding, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, acknowledged LAWMA’s critical role in keeping Lagos clean, healthy and sustainable.
He noted that indiscriminate dumping and other environmental violations by some residents continued to undermine efforts to improve sanitation across the state.
The Commissioner assured LAWMA of the Police Command’s support in enforcing environmental regulations and dealing with cases involving illegal dumping, unauthorised occupation and encroachment on dumpsites, as well as attacks on LAWMA personnel.
CP Fatai said the Police would work with LAWMA to ensure that environmental offenders faced the consequences of their actions, while helping to protect the Authority’s facilities, workers and operational assets.
The meeting ultimately underscored a simple reality: keeping Lagos clean is not only about removing waste; it is also about protecting the people whose daily work makes a cleaner city possible.
Both agencies consequently reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration, stronger enforcement and greater public awareness to make Lagos cleaner, safer and more sustainable.
By Innocent Onoh
