The Lagos State Government through the Special Taskforce is set to prosecute six arrested individuals for openly urinating on the rail line by the popular Nigeria Army Shopping Complex, Arena, Oshodi.
According to the special task force, the suspects will soon be prosecuted according to the Lagos State Environmental Laws.
The arrest came barely 48 hours after the state government declared a total clamp-down on offenders of open defecation and urination in the state.
The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on his official X.com handle on Saturday.
According to the post; “6 defaulters were earlier today arrested for open urination on rail track in front of Nigeria Army Shopping Complex, Arena, Oshodi.”
Recall that on Thursday, the state government had embarked on total enforcement against environmental degradation with a vow to commence prosecution of individuals who engage in open defecation, particularly along the Berger Expressway, and rail lines, among others.
Also, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, LSNC, popularly called KAI, held a stakeholders, management meeting, where the Corp Marshal, Major, Olaniyi Cole, (Retd), declared immediate total enforcement of the directive, placing officers on red alert.
During an advocacy and sanitation exercise, where the environment operatives cleaned the faeces that littered the median of the Berger Expressway, preceding the enforcement activities, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services Gaji Omobolaji, said the enforcement action aimed at preventing the spread of communicable diseases like cholera and diarrhea in the state.
Gaji accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Olawale Musa and other Directors of the two Ministries, said the enforcement team comprising of the anti-open defecation squad, Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), and other enforcement agencies would work in shifts to apprehend and prosecute offenders in accordance with the environmental laws of the state.
The Permanent Secretary said it is appalling and shameful to find people defecating and urinating in open places, especially on the road and road medians saying, “these actions are unacceptable and require a lasting solution to totally eradicate the menace” which is why the state has resorted to undertake enforcement and prosecution of offenders.
Gaji maintained that anyone caught will face the full wrath of the law with the hope that it will serve as a deterrent to others and ensure that the fight against open defecation is sustained.
KAI talks tough
Cole, while speaking at the stakeholders meeting, charged officers to go full swing in enforcing the State Environmental Laws, particularly, open defecation, with a directive to arrest offenders irrespective of status or class.
“Enough is enough, we are moving to every area in the state on a clean-up exercise henceforth, to rid it of environmental nuisance. Any offender caught would be prosecuted accordingly,” he vowed.
Charging KAI officers, Cole, “There is no room for indolence. The state government will not condone any act of compromise. Go all out to bring all offenders to book as a deterrent. Lagos must remain clean for all.
“Any officer also caught engaging in compromising act or nature will be disciplined appropriately.”
