Dare Babalola
Seven individuals have been brought before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in Ikeja Magisterial District, facing allegations of assaulting enforcement officers of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) during the course of an environmental enforcement operation.
This was made known in a statement issued by Mukaila Sanusi, Director, Public Affairs of LAWMA, on Wednesday.
Sanusi identified the defendants as Olamilekan Abdullahi (21), Akeem Olamilekan (24), Frank Tom (25), Sakiru Jamiu (20), Emmanuel Abiodun (41), Olarewanju Onyowale (35) and Taiwo Yusuf (30).
The statement confirmed that the suspects were apprehended by LAWMA enforcement personnel on March 8, 2026, within the Moshalashi Jimoh axis in Lagos Island during routine monitoring against indiscriminate waste disposal.
They were subsequently arraigned on March 10, 2026, before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court, Ikeja, in the matter of Attorney General of Lagos State v. Olamilekan Abdullahi & 6 Others.
The prosecution charged the defendants on a five-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause breach of peace, indiscriminate dumping of refuse at an unapproved location, failure to patronise an approved Private Sector Participant (PSP) waste operator, obstruction of officers in the discharge of their duties, and assault.
All seven defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read before the court.
The court thereafter adjourned the case to April 24, 2026, for trial and admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two responsible sureties, one of whom must be a recognised community leader while the other must be a gainfully employed relative.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants were remanded in a correctional facility.
LAWMA warned that obstruction or assault of enforcement personnel constitutes a serious offence under the laws of Lagos State, reiterating that acts capable of undermining environmental enforcement operations would be firmly addressed through appropriate legal channels.
