N環球 
Lagos seals over 25 buildings in Okota waste enforcement crackdown
LAWMA chief Gbadegesin led a Sunday sweep on Ago Palace Way, sealing 25+ buildings including a Mobil station and arresting illegal-dumping cart pushers.
Why it matters
This is one of the largest waste-enforcement operations in Lagos in recent months, with more than 25 buildings sealed in a single sweep. The scale signals that the authorities are escalating from advocacy to hard enforcement against the chronic dumping along Okota's road medians, directly affecting local businesses and traffic on the corridor.
Full report
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) carried out a surprise enforcement exercise on Sunday, October 11, along Ago Palace Way, Okota, sealing more than 25 buildings, including a Mobil filling station, over alleged environmental violations.
The Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, personally led the exercise alongside management staff, deploying compactor trucks, a payloader, tipper trucks and street sweepers to evacuate accumulated refuse from road medians and around bridge abutments, where illegal dumping had become a recurring problem.
Some of the sealed premises had built illegal stalls on road setbacks or harboured street traders whose activities contributed to littering and indiscriminate waste disposal. Officers also arrested several cart pushers for alleged illegal dumping, including one identified as Shamusi Muritala, who said he was from Katsina State, admitted dumping refuse on road medians and disclosed that he collected up to ₦5,000 from each customer; he pleaded for leniency when questioned.
Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) and the Kick Against Indiscipline team supported the operation. LAWMA's advocacy team used the exercise to sensitise residents and traders on proper waste disposal, urging them to use approved collection channels.
Gbadegesin said the authority would enforce the law against illegal street trading and those who patronise traders operating in prohibited locations, stressing that such activities obstruct movement, undermine public order and contribute to environmental degradation. The exercise comes amid repeated complaints about waste collection in the area: in August, residents of Ago Palace Way complained of overflowing refuse and delayed evacuation despite paying for collection services.
LAWMA said it would continue waste evacuation and enforcement operations to curb illegal dumping and protect public infrastructure across Lagos.
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