The Lagos State Government has arrested no fewer than 200 cart pushers across all the 57 local governments and local council development areas of the state for constituting environmental nuisances.

The arrest was made possible through a joint environmental sanitation raid by the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps and Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps whose enforcement officers simultaneously arrested cart pushers who pick refuse from citizens and dump wastes at roadsides, major roads and other public places across the state.

Speaking on the arrest at Safety Arena, Bolade, Oshodi, the Board Chairman of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps, DIG Israel Ajao, said a cleaner and healthier Lagos remains a top priority of the state government in its transition from a mega city to a smart city.

“If a government is transcending from mega-city to smart city, all the components must be there. The key component of a Smart City is a clean and healthy environment,” he stated.

He said indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road medians, drainages, highways and everywhere will not be tolerated as the government has committed a lot of human and material resources to ensure Lagos remains a healthy habitation for all through the Cleaner Lagos Initiative.

The Chairman called on residents of the state to stop patronising cart pushers, but rather support the authorised waste manager, which is the VisionScape.

“Residents of the State should buy-in to the Cleaner Lagos initiative and sustainable environment. Of course, you know without a healthy body you cannot have a healthy life.”

“Offenders will be prosecuted under the State sanitation law. This will serve as a deterrent to others. Residents should dispose of their refuse in a manner that is authorised,” he said.

On his part, the Corp Marshall, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, ACP Daniel Isiofa (rtd.), noted that dumping of refuse on road medians will affect drainages, which could cause more disaster to the environment during the rainy season.

He said that all the arrested environmental offenders will be charged under the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Law with a minimum penalty of community service, 20,000 Naira and maximum 50,000 Naira fines, adding that there could be a jail term too especially for repeat offenders.