The Lagos State Government has clarified that residents are free to move around during the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise, stressing that there is no policy restricting movement on sanitation days.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the clarification on Saturday, July 25, in response to a social media user who alleged that someone had been arrested over movement during the exercise.
An X user identified as Faveo Autos had asked the commissioner, “What is the fine for movement during environmental… Ikeja police station.”
Reacting, Wahab said anyone arrested solely for moving around during the sanitation exercise was detained unlawfully, noting that such action does not represent the position of the Lagos State Government.
He said, “For clarity, there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
“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.”
The commissioner explained that the monthly sanitation programme was reintroduced to encourage residents to maintain cleaner surroundings and improve environmental hygiene across Lagos.
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According to him, the initiative is supported by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, but the legislation does not authorise movement restrictions during the exercise.
Wahab said, “The monthly environmental sanitation exercise was reintroduced primarily to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across the state.
“The initiative is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017. However, the law does not provide for any restriction on movement during the exercise.”
He added that the state government is prioritising public awareness and voluntary participation instead of coercive enforcement.
“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,” Wahab said.
First Daily reports that the clarification comes amid recurring public confusion over whether movement restrictions, which were once common during environmental sanitation exercises in Lagos, are still in force.
The state government has repeatedly maintained that the exercise is intended to promote environmental responsibility, not to limit residents’ movement.