Lagos Sanitation Exercise: Wahab Says Residents Free to Move, Warns Against Unlawful Arrests.

Lagos Sanitation Exercise: Wahab Says Residents Free to Move, Warns Against Unlawful Arrests.

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has clarified that residents are not subject to a blanket restriction on movement during the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

Wahab reportedly stated that the arrest of individuals solely for moving during the sanitation period is unlawful, stressing that the exercise is intended to promote environmental responsibility rather than impose an indiscriminate restriction on the constitutional freedom of movement.

The clarification comes amid renewed public interest in the enforcement of Lagos’ monthly environmental sanitation programme, which was reintroduced in 2026 after a long suspension. The exercise is designed to encourage residents to participate in cleaning their surroundings and support the state government’s broader efforts to improve environmental hygiene and waste management.

The Lagos State Government had earlier announced that the sanitation exercise would take place on the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., while maintaining that residents’ freedom of movement would be preserved.

In March, Wahab explained that the government had chosen not to rely on a traditional movement restriction model, arguing that environmental responsibility should be built through public participation and sustained civic awareness rather than compulsion alone.

The policy has, however, generated legal and public debate because of the historical practice of restricting movement during sanitation exercises. A 2015 Federal High Court ruling previously nullified the compulsory restriction of movement associated with the exercise. The Lagos State Ministry of Justice later argued that a subsequent 2021 Court of Appeal judgment upheld the legality of the environmental sanitation programme while distinguishing between the exercise itself and the restriction of movement.

Against this background, the latest clarification attributed to Wahab underscores the government’s position that the current sanitation framework does not authorise the arrest of residents simply because they are moving during the exercise.

However, residents remain expected to comply with existing environmental laws, including regulations against indiscriminate waste disposal, open defecation, street trading in prohibited areas and other environmental offences. Enforcement agencies have continued to arrest individuals accused of violating such laws across the state.

The distinction between unlawful arrests for mere movement and lawful enforcement against specific environmental offences is therefore central to the government’s current sanitation policy.

As Lagos continues to grapple with waste management, flooding and urban environmental challenges, the effectiveness of the monthly exercise will likely depend on a balance between public participation, clear communication, lawful enforcement and respect for residents’ fundamental rights.