Over 200 individuals have been apprehended and arraigned before mobile courts in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for breaching the state’s environmental laws during the monthly sanitation exercise.
The violators were arrested by the Kwara State Environmental Task Force in various parts of the state capital last Saturday.
The state government had designated the last Saturday of each month for residents to participate in a three-hour environmental sanitation exercise, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., aimed at cleaning homes, markets, and clearing drainages to maintain a clean and healthy environment.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Kamaldeen Aliagan, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, those found guilty were fined sums ranging from N10,000 to N50,000, depending on the severity of their offence.
The Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Buge, during a press briefing after the exercise, expressed satisfaction with the increased compliance among residents. Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, the commissioner noted, “With what we observed today in the metropolis and the reports received from the Local Government Areas, the level of compliance has drastically improved.” She further emphasized the need to sustain the progress made to ensure a hygienic environment and prevent epidemics.
However, Buge expressed concern over non-compliance by some commercial motor parks, warning that further violations would not be tolerated. “We will no longer condone any individual or group, particularly commercial transporters, who flout the environmental laws during the monthly sanitation exercise,” she stated.
The commissioner commended security agencies and voluntary organizations for their consistent support in ensuring the smooth conduct of the sanitation exercise. She urged the public to remain steadfast in their efforts to keep Kwara clean, positioning it as a model state in environmental hygiene.
The Kwara State Government has reiterated its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and called on residents to continually abide by them for the overall development and attractiveness of the state.
