The Lagos Waste Management Authority has arraigned seven suspects before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting in the Ikeja Magisterial District for allegedly assaulting its enforcement operatives.
The defendants, according to a LAWMA statement on Wednesday, were Olamilekan Abdullahi (21), Akeem Olamilekan (24), Frank Tom (25), Sakiru Jamiu (20), Emmanuel Abiodun (41), Olarewanju Onyowale (35) and Taiwo Yusuf (30). It added that the suspects were apprehended by LAWMA enforcement personnel on 8 March 2026, within the Moshalashi-Jimoh axis in Lagos Island, during routine monitoring against indiscriminate waste disposal.
“They were subsequently arraigned on 10 March 2026, before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court, Ikeja, in the matter of Attorney-General of Lagos State v. Olamilekan Abdullahi & six others. The prosecution charged the defendants with a five-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, indiscriminate dumping of refuse at an unapproved location, failure to patronise an approved private sector participant 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 statement read in part.
It added that the court thereafter adjourned the case to 24 April 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.
According to the statement, the defendants were remanded in a correctional facility pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
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.
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