After nearly a 10-year hiatus, Lagos held its monthly environmental sanitation exercise on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The exercise received both praise and criticism from residents. While many residents participated, delays in refuse pick-ups due to rain led to negative feedback.
Resumption of Sanitation Exercise
Some residents commended the Lagos State Government for restarting the exercise, which took place between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. in various parts of the state. However, others complained about the behaviour of officials and some touts who extorted money from them.
A resident, Yemisi Ogunsan, praised the timing of the exercise, as it allowed her to continue her day after cleaning up the environment. On the other hand, a trader, Biriki Sanni, found it challenging to resume business after the exercise due to a lack of available commercial vehicles.
Concerns Over Movement Restriction
Residents also expressed concerns about the forceful restriction of movement during the exercise. While Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, clarified that movement would not be forcefully restricted, reports of arrests and extortion by officials and street urchins emerged in areas such as Mushin, Agege, Oshodi, Coker and Surulere. A resident, who confided in The Guardian, said he was arrested while walking to his place of business around the Surulere area and had to part with some money before he was released.
Waste Management Challenges
Another issue raised by residents was the failure to clear dirt removed during the exercise, which was washed back into drainages by rain. Many residents criticised the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) for not collecting the waste, leading to environmental concerns.
A Lagosian, Tomiwa Tegbe, who called out the government on X, said: “The waste collected from mandatory environmental sanitation yesterday (Saturday) and dumped on the road waiting for LAWMA to come pick up has been scattered by rain overnight and washed right back onto the road and into the gutters. Look at that, efficiency.” Also, Odufoye Adebayo said: “They don’t have the logistics to carry it out on larger scale.”
Government Response
In response to these criticisms, residents called for better waste management logistics and suggested breaking down the sanitation process by focusing on one local council per week. Despite these challenges, residents acknowledged the efforts of officials such as Tokunbo Wahab, while others criticised the handling of sewage disposal and cleaning in Lagos.
However, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that LAWMA intervention trucks are currently working alongside waste compactors from local councils across the state. “I am pleased to confirm that they are actively collecting and evacuating every bag, every pile, and every debris generated during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.” “I assure every Lagosian that we will not rest until the entire city is clean, cleared, and safe. This is the operational backbone of our commitment to a cleaner Lagos and a greater Lagos.”
The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, along with other top government functionaries, monitored the exercise and praised residents for their enthusiastic participation. After overseeing the exercise at Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA), she expressed gratitude for the residents’ involvement. She stated: “I think the assessment for this morning is good. It was flagged off last month, and we’re having the first incident today. We have seen the residents come out. We have seen them participate. It’s like a gradual process.” Mrs Sanwo-Olu advised residents not to wait until the last Saturday of every month to carry out sanitation.
On his part, Wahab applauded community participation, saying it was less about money and more about voluntary action. He said: “It’s mind-blowing. It’s over 98 per cent. You can see it yourself. We chose to rely on the conscience of people waiting for this. And we thank them. Most importantly, let us build on this. So by the next round, end of May, we should have maybe 99 per cent. We can’t have 100 per cent. But once we keep building on this daily basis, weekly basis like they do in every market, someday, somehow, that culture will be back. And to the naysayers, they can see it themselves.”
Legal Perspectives
Regarding the issue of restriction, he mentioned the High Court and the Court of Appeal processes. “However, before the appeal was determined, there was a case in 2017 or 2018, involving Mrs Okafor that went to the Court of Appeal. The Court spoke extensively on the issue of jurisdiction. In the latter judgement given by the same Court of Appeal, Lagos jurisdiction, in the case of Ebun Adeboruwa, it has clarified that the state has the power to restrict movement. However, they chose not to go that route. “Even as we speak, there is no law or judgement stating that Lagos State should not restrict movement. This is a Court of Appeal judgement,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, lamented that Lagosians were being forced to stay in their homes by the Lagos State Government under the guise of enforcing monthly environmental sanitation. According to him, the government deployed various agencies, including LASTMA, health officers and even area boys (agberos), to harass, intimidate and threaten innocent citizens from exercising their fundamental and constitutional rights to move freely. “The government claims to rely on a specific health law from 2017, which it has failed to publish or make available to the public for confirmation and scrutiny. “For the avoidance of doubt, there is currently no law in force in Lagos State that permits the government to restrict movement for the purpose of enforcing monthly environmental sanitation. I challenge the Lagos State Government to publish such a law, if it even exists. “In light of this, it is morally and legally untenable for a government that cannot organise basic waste evacuation, that sponsors the discharge of human waste into the Lagos Lagoon, that fails to provide water for its citizens or guarantee their security and safety, to enforce an unknown law.” He added: “In a mega city like Lagos, citizens should not be forced indoors for two hours under the guise of sanitation if the government can implement positive policy effectively. “It is outdated and inappropriate to enforce dictatorial policies of the inglorious military era and discarded methods of cleanliness not in tandem with global standards.”
