24th May, 2010
Officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) have prosecuted at least 2,831 Lagosians who violated the environmental laws of the state in the last one year, says Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire.
Banire said the offenders were taken to mobile courts, tried and prosecuted.
He said that out of the figure, 1,992 people were fined while 684 persons were convicted to serve jail terms ranging from three weeks to six months imprisonment, and 98 persons discharged for lack of evidence and reasons connected to age.
The commissioner added that in the last one year, 810 enforcement operations were carried out in 48 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state to reclaim the environment from degradation and create sustainable environment for healthy living.
In the process, he disclosed that 373 premises were sealed while clean up exercise and removal of shanties were carried out in places such as Oshodi, Onipanu, Alaba and International Market, among others.
Banire also commended landlords for buying into the state’s quest to make Lagos a mega-city through painting of their buildings. He informed that the level of compliance across the state was now 71.51 percent.
He disclosed that 2,513 abatement notices were served in the last one year on environmental health, stating that 1,610 people complied with the notice while 511 cases were prosecuted.
The commissioner said that 316 public complaints were treated during the period, while 41 premises were sealed off by court orders.
On waste management, Banire explained that the Lagos State Waste Management  Authority (LAWMA) serviced 4,438 companies through its 158 registered private operators.
“It is the first organisation to commence the collection of medical waste in Nigeria and we have registered over 850 health care institutions from over 3000 registered in the state,†he said.
Also, Banire appealed to residents of Ajegunle, Agiliti, Ajelogo and Aboru living in wetland to relocate from there since government could not guarantee their safety in those areas as they might be submerged by flood.