Why Lagos must not enforce environmental sanitation now – Adegboruwa

Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has asked the Lagos State Government to suspend the proposed resumption of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise which was halted by the Federal High Court in 2015.

He stated that since the case is still in court and is subjudice, the government cannot proceed with the proposed plan. He therefore urged Governor Babajide Sanwoolu to direct the immediate suspension of the proposed resumption of the environmental sanitation exercise in due deference to the Court and respect for the rule of law.

It will be recalled that in a Motion on Notice filed at the registry of the Supreme Court on July 22, 2024, the renown lawyer is seeking an order of injunction to restrain Sanwoolu and the other respondents from taking steps to restrict his movement and that of other residents of Lagos State, on the last Saturday or any other day of every month for the purpose of observing any environmental exercise/activity pending the hearing and final determination of the appeal pending in the Supreme Court.

Adegboruwa is also seeking an order restraining the respondents from arresting and detaining him and other residents of Lagos State on the last Saturday or any other day of every month whatsoever, for the purpose of enforcing compliance with the environmental sanitation policy of Lagos State pending the hearing and final determination of the appeal pending before the Supreme Court. Fifteen grounds were listed in support of the application signed by Oluwatosin Adesioye, Esq., Deputy Head of Chambers (Litigation) of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN & Co. Recently, there has been news of the planned resumption of the monthly environmental sanitation policy of Lagos State, even though Governor Sanwoolu maintained that movemen would not be restricted.

On March 16, 2015, the Federal High Court, Lagos presided over by the Honourable Justice M.B. Idris (as he then was) struck down the environmental sanitation programme of Lagos State and further restrained the Inspector-General of Police and all police officers from enforcing the said policy through indiscriminate arrest of citizens for non-compliance.