Seven persons have been arraigned before a Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting in Ikeja Magisterial District for allegedly assaulting enforcement operatives of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) during an environmental enforcement operation.
The defendants — Olamilekan Abdullahi, 21; Akeem Olamilekan, 24; Frank Tom, 25; Sakiru Jamiu, 20; Emmanuel Abiodun, 41; Olarewanju Onyowale, 35; and Taiwo Yusuf, 30 — were apprehended by LAWMA enforcement personnel on March 8, 2026, in the Moshalashi Jimoh area of Lagos Island during routine monitoring against indiscriminate waste disposal.
According to authorities, the suspects were arrested after allegedly attacking enforcement officers carrying out their duties in the area.
They were subsequently arraigned on March 10 before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in Ikeja in a case titled Attorney General of Lagos State v. Olamilekan Abdullahi & 6 Others.
The prosecution filed a five-count charge against the defendants, including conduct likely to cause breach of peace, indiscriminate dumping of refuse at an unapproved location, failure to patronise an approved Private Sector Participant (PSP) waste operator, obstruction of officers in the discharge of their duties, and assault.
All seven defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court.
The court adjourned the matter until April 24, 2026, for trial and granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two responsible sureties. One of the sureties must be a recognised community leader, while the other must be a gainfully employed relative.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants were remanded in a correctional facility.
LAWMA warned that obstruction or assault of enforcement personnel constitutes a serious offence under the laws of Lagos State, stressing that actions capable of undermining environmental enforcement operations would be dealt with through appropriate legal channels.