A 45-year-old man, Mr. Imeh Bassey, is set to face trial after being arrested for illegally dumping refuse on the median of Ikorodu Road, near Ketu Bus Stop in Lagos, in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, through its spokesperson Kunle Adesina, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued the same day.
According to Adesina, officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) monitoring squad apprehended Bassey around 4:00 a.m. while he was discharging waste on the busy highway.
“It is a crime to dispose of refuse on roadsides or medians,” Adesina stated, adding that the act violates environmental laws established to keep Lagos clean and safe.
Further investigation traced the waste to the banana section of the Ketu fruits market. LAWMA’s enforcement team linked Bassey’s actions to the market after interrogating him and reviewing evidence.
The statement read:
“Mr. Imeh Bassey – 45 years old – was arrested at 0400hrs Tuesday by LAWMA’s monitoring squad on Ikorodu Road median, Ketu Bus Stop, for discharging refuse on the road. Discreet investigation after his arrest traced the source of the waste to the banana section of Ketu fruit market.”
In a video obtained by the agency, Bassey admitted he was paid ₦500 by a man associated with the market’s national union to dispose of the waste. However, he was unable to identify the individual.
A LAWMA official involved in the arrest warned that surveillance and enforcement efforts have been intensified across the state.
“We have set up our surveillance and enforcement operations across Lagos to curb illegal dumping. Offenders will be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others,” the official said.
Bassey is expected to be charged in court as part of the state’s ongoing crackdown on environmental violations.