The Lagos State Government has clarified that there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, warning that anyone arrested solely for moving around during the exercise is being unlawfully detained.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the monthly sanitation exercise was reintroduced to promote environmental cleanliness across the state and is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017. However, he stressed that the law does not empower authorities to restrict residents’ movement.
“For clarity, there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise. Consequently, arresting anyone on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not represent the position or policy of the Lagos State Government,” Wahab said.
He added that the government’s objective is to encourage residents to make environmental sanitation a civic responsibility rather than relying on enforcement, urging Lagosians to actively participate in keeping the state clean and healthy.