47 Arrested over Environmental Sanitation Violation in Nasarawa
A total of 47 defaulters have been arrested in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital, during this month’s environmental sanitation exercise, with Keke Napep operators accounting for the majority of those apprehended. Dr. Abubakar Muhammad, Chief Prosecuting Officer for the exercise, disclosed this while speaking to journalists during the sanitation monitoring in Lafia. He explained that 29 […]
A total of 47 defaulters have been arrested in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital, during this month’s environmental sanitation exercise, with Keke Napep operators accounting for the majority of those apprehended.
Dr. Abubakar Muhammad, Chief Prosecuting Officer for the exercise, disclosed this while speaking to journalists during the sanitation monitoring in Lafia.
He explained that 29 Keke Napep were impounded along Jos Road, while 9 others were arrested on Makurdi Road, bringing the total to 47.
On the offences, he stated that the defaulters were arrested for operating during sanitation hours, an act that violates Section 9(3) of the Nasarawa State Environmental Law, 2020.
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“They have been brought before His Worship in the Mobile court and they face the law. There is no issue of sensitisation again. Now we are in the time of enforcement, to make sure that our state becomes very clean,” he said.
The prosecuting officer also highlighted enforcement on drainage clearance, citing Section 13 of the law which mandates property owners to desilt drainages in front of their premises and dispose of waste at designated collection points.
“We have sent different notices. Last week alone, we arrested 16 people for violating that order. When you go into town now, you will see people bringing out dirt to make the environment clean and ensure free flow of water,” he noted.
“We have to strategise another way because when you block one route, another opens for them. And we don’t have enough staff to block all the hinterland roads. So the best thing we do is to go to these very sensitive places and block them,” he said.
Muhammad added that compliance was high among shop owners across the metropolis.
“People in the shops complied. All shops have been closed. You are media, you can bear witness to it. So people are beginning to feel the impact of the sanitation exercise. But the headache we have are the Keke Napep and the moving people,” he said.
He assured that the enforcement would continue throughout the rainy season to ensure a cleaner Nasarawa State.