Crisis Brews in Edo as Okpebholo Defies Court Rulings on Sanitation Lockdown

Tension is rising in Edo State following the enforcement of a sanitation lockdown that saw residents restricted from movement on Saturday morning, with disturbing reports of violence against civilians by sanitation officials. The directive, which barred movement between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., is drawing criticism from civil society groups, legal experts, and opposition figures, […]

Tension is rising in Edo State following the enforcement of a sanitation lockdown that saw residents restricted from movement on Saturday morning, with disturbing reports of violence against civilians by sanitation officials.

The directive, which barred movement between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., is drawing criticism from civil society groups, legal experts, and opposition figures, who question its constitutionality and allege a pattern of executive overreach by the state government.

Multiple video clips circulated online show members of the state’s sanitation taskforce chasing street vendors, shutting shops, and in one instance, appearing to assault a pregnant woman in Benin City. The footage has sparked outrage and calls for a judicial and human rights investigation.

At the heart of the controversy is the legality of movement restrictions during monthly environmental sanitation exercises. In 2016, the Court of Appeal in OKAFOR v. LAGOS STATE ruled that such restrictions violate Nigerians’ constitutionally protected right to freedom of movement. The judgment, delivered by Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu, held that no administrative directive can override fundamental rights.

However, the issue remains contentious in the courts. In 2015 ruling on a suit challenging the restrictions in Lagos State, the Federal High Court initially ruled that movement restrictions were unconstitutional. That decision was appealed, and in 2023, the Court of Appeal reversed the lower court’s judgment, reinstating the legality of sanitation-related movement restrictions in limited circumstances. The case is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

In Edo State, legal analysts say there is no existing law passed by the State House of Assembly authorising movement restrictions.

This legislative gap, they argue, makes the enforcement of Saturday’s lockdown questionable, even in light of the recent appellate decision.

“The Court of Appeal may have reinstated movement restrictions in Lagos under certain conditions, but there they have an enabling law. Without any law in Edo State backing such restrictions, the enforcement here lacks legal footing,” said a constitutional lawyer based in Benin.

Despite the backlash, the Edo State Government has defended the sanitation exercise. In a statement issued by the governor’s press secretary, Fred Itua, the administration insisted that urgent environmental concerns justified immediate executive action.

“We cannot wait for legislation before taking action to protect our environment. That would be too slow,” the statement read.

Critics argue that this stance undermines the rule of law. “Even good intentions must operate within legal boundaries,” said a former lawmaker Hon. Destiny Enabulele. “You cannot suspend constitutional rights simply because you think it’s necessary.”

Saturday’s lockdown is the latest in a series of actions by Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration that have raised questions about respect for court decisions. In December 2024, the governor secured the suspension of all elected local government chairmen in Edo through the State House of Assembly, despite a 2023 Supreme Court ruling prohibiting such executive actions.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the governor of engaging in a “judicial assault,” citing a pattern of disobedience to binding court orders.

Saturday’s enforcement has sparked not only legal debate but public outrage. Several civil society organisations have condemned the use of force by sanitation officials and demanded accountability for reported assaults.

“This is no longer about environmental sanitation—it’s about the breakdown of lawful governance,” said the director of a Benin-based human rights NGO. “When a pregnant woman is assaulted for walking outside her home, something has gone terribly wrong.”

As pressure mounts, analysts warn that unless the courts and federal institutions step in decisively, Edo State’s actions could set a dangerous precedent for other subnational governments to ignore constitutional limits.

“The Supreme Court must resolve this issue quickly,” said a legal analyst in Abuja. “Otherwise, we risk normalising executive disobedience of judicial authority.”