The Permanent Secretary and Solicitor General of Lagos State, Mr Hameed Oyenuga, has raised serious concerns over the worsening waste management crisis in Lagos, declaring that the state is now “littered with refuse” — a situation he described as unacceptable.
Oyenuga made the remarks during the two-day retreat of the Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court held in Ikeja, where stakeholders gathered to review enforcement strategies and strengthen environmental compliance.
‘Lagos Is Littered With Waste’ — Oyenuga
Expressing frustration over the growing environmental decline, Oyenuga said the alarming rate of indiscriminate waste disposal across Lagos had become embarrassing.
“Presently, Lagos State is littered with waste, and this should not be so. Virtually everywhere is littered with refuse,” he stated.
He urged the Ministry of the Environment to urgently reorganise the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and take decisive steps to clear waste from the streets.
According to him, environmental enforcement must deliver practical, visible results to restore public confidence.
Call for Waste Management Reform and Institutional Efficiency
Representing the Attorney General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro (SAN), Oyenuga warned that Lagos appears to be regressing to the environmental challenges it faced over two decades ago.
He questioned the collapse of previously effective waste systems, saying:
“It feels like we are being taken back over 20 years. The present state of Lagos in terms of waste management is like we have gone back two decades.”
The Solicitor General emphasised that while enforcement is important, it cannot succeed without institutional efficiency, proper coordination among agencies, and data-driven strategies.
Mobile Court’s Role in Environmental Enforcement
The Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court, established in February 2016, was created to:
Provide swift administration of justice
Decongest conventional courts
Enforce traffic, sanitation, and public order laws
Promote environmental compliance
However, Oyenuga noted that the growing waste crisis indicates the need for stronger, intelligence-led enforcement and improved collaboration with agencies such as the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps.
He stressed that enforcement must be firm, consistent, and fair — without compromising human rights or due process.
“Swift justice must not translate into arbitrary justice,” he warned.
Expansion of Mobile Court Operations
Oyenuga disclosed plans to expand mobile court operations to other parts of the state, particularly Ikorodu, to enhance environmental law enforcement and improve public order.
He said the retreat provides an opportunity to:
Review operational challenges
Assess enforcement effectiveness
Strengthen policy alignment
Develop practical strategies for better waste management enforcement
Growing Pressure on Lagos Infrastructure
The Coordinator of the Special Offences Mobile Court, Mr Oluwafemi Adekunle, described the retreat as timely, noting that Lagos continues to expand rapidly in population, economic activity, and urban complexity.
He said increasing pressure on infrastructure has heightened the need for stronger public order enforcement and improved waste disposal systems.
Adekunle reaffirmed that the mobile court remains a critical instrument in maintaining discipline and promoting respect for the rule of law across communities.
Sanwo-Olu’s Support for Environmental Enforcement
Adekunle also acknowledged the continued support of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other stakeholders in strengthening environmental enforcement mechanisms.
