The Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has confiscated several refuse carts and arrested a suspect during a pre-dawn enforcement exercise on Lagos Island, as part of intensified efforts to curb illegal waste disposal.
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Monday by LAWMA’s enforcement team, followed weeks of monitoring unauthorised waste-handling activities within the axis.
It was designed to halt unregulated movement of refuse and prevent the re-emergence of illegal dumpsites in areas earlier reclaimed by the authority.
During the exercise, enforcement officers intercepted multiple waste carts at Isale-Eko.
In a separate incident around 1:31 a.m., a 42-year-old man identified as Muritala Suleiman, a native of Zamfara State, was apprehended for unlawfully dumping refuse at Tinubu Square on Lagos Island.
LAWMA explained that the timing of the operation was deliberate, noting that offenders often exploit darkness and reduced visibility to evade detection and carry out illegal dumping.
Commenting on the development, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the sustained clampdown was intended to reinforce deterrence and protect locations that have been stabilised from being abused again.
He added that operatives of the Waste Investigation, Surveillance and Enforcement unit have been strategically positioned across the state to dismantle persistent environmental black spots and promote cleanliness along key routes.
The authority called on residents to adhere strictly to approved waste disposal methods and to support ongoing initiatives aimed at maintaining a clean, safe and sustainable urban environment.
