The Lagos State Police Command has attributed the arrest of residents during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise on Saturday, July 25, 2026, to a communication lapse between the police and the state government.
Residents had complained of being arrested and intimidated by police officers during the exercise.
Reacting to the complaints, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, clarified that there is no restriction on movement during the monthly sanitation exercise.
“For clarity, there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise,” Wahab said.
“Consequently, arresting anyone on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not represent the position or policy of the Lagos State Government.”
He explained that the sanitation exercise was reintroduced to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across the state, in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017. However, he stressed that the law does not empower officers to restrict movement.
“Our focus is on encouraging Lagosians to embrace environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility and a shared commitment to maintaining a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos, rather than relying on enforcement measures,” he added.
When contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, acknowledged a communication gap.
“There is a communication gap somewhere, and the Command is working with the government for clarity,” she said.