Video: Lagos arrests guard for illegal dumping of refuse
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Lagos State Government has arrested a 56-year-old man identified as John Ehidreme for illegally dumping refuse into a drainage channel.
According to a statement on Tuesday by Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, the arrest occurred earlier today at No. 18 Oluoga, Ikorodu.
Video footage accompanying the announcement shows a man in a security guard uniform tipping the contents of a large wheeled bin directly into an open drainage channel beside a school building.
“The Lagos State Government reiterates that indiscriminate waste disposal is a violation of environmental laws, as it obstructs drainage channels, contributes to flooding, and poses significant public health and environmental risks,” he added.
The Commissioner urged residents to dispose of waste responsibly and use only approved waste management facilities.
Lagos, one of Africa’s largest cities with a population exceeding 20 million, faces chronic flooding during the rainy season, often linked to blocked drainage systems caused by indiscriminate waste dumping.
The state government has run sustained campaigns under initiatives like #CleanerLagos to enforce environmental laws, promote proper waste management, and penalise offenders.
