Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Government has arrested a woman, identified as Mrs McCarthy, for allegedly directing her child to dispose of waste into a covered drainage channel in the Shomolu area of the state, in a move that underscores the government's zero-tolerance policy towards environmental violations and its determination to hold parents accountable for actions that obstruct drainage systems and worsen flooding. The arrest was announced on Monday, 13 July 2026, by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, via his official X account, following a report from residents that prompted an immediate investigation by enforcement officers.
According to Wahab, the suspect, a resident of No. 56 Adaranijo Street, Pedro, Shomolu, was apprehended after enforcement officers confirmed that she had encouraged her child to dump refuse into a covered drainage channel, a violation of the state's environmental laws. The commissioner disclosed that the ministry received a report of the incident and immediately deployed its enforcement officers to the area, leading to the woman's arrest. Videos accompanying the announcement showed a young boy emptying contents from a container into a street drainage and the arrested woman standing outside a facility.
Wahab emphasised that the incident underscored the need for parents and guardians to teach children responsible environmental practices instead of encouraging actions that could obstruct drainage systems and worsen flooding. He said the government expects every resident to act responsibly and to educate their children on the importance of protecting public infrastructure, particularly drainage systems, and that encouraging acts that contribute to blocked drains and environmental degradation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. He reiterated that maintaining a clean, safe, and flood-resilient environment was a collective responsibility and urged residents to dispose of waste properly and support the state's environmental sanitation efforts.
Wahab also disclosed that the state had stepped up enforcement activities along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway as part of efforts to restore environmental order, with enforcement teams intensifying the removal of shanties, illegal structures and other environmental nuisances along the corridor over the past three weeks. He warned residents against converting public spaces into illegal markets or using them for unauthorised private activities, stressing that offenders would be prosecuted.
In a related development, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) suspended a street sweeper from her sanitation operations following her alleged involvement in an assault on a female passerby at the Abraham Adesanya area of Lagos State. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, stressing that the authority maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards violence, misconduct and any behaviour capable of undermining public confidence in its operations. Preliminary reports indicated that the incident occurred between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 11 July 2026, following an altercation between the street sweeper and the passerby, which allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation. The injured woman was taken to a hospital for medical attention, while the suspect was apprehended by members of the public and handed over to the police at Ajiwe Police Station. Dr Gbadegesin said that LAWMA had taken immediate administrative action by withdrawing the operative's uniform and suspending her from all street sanitation duties pending the outcome of the ongoing police investigation and any further disciplinary measures.
The arrest of Mrs McCarthy and the suspension of the street sweeper come amid the Lagos State Government's intensified enforcement of environmental laws under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has maintained a firm zero-tolerance policy toward environmental violations, particularly illegal waste dumping that exacerbates flooding in the densely populated metropolis. Recent measures include hefty fines, arrests of thousands of violators, demolition of illegal structures contributing to environmental nuisances, and plans for enhanced monitoring through a proposed "Waste Police" initiative. Dumping in drains, canals, and unauthorised areas is explicitly prohibited under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, and officials have repeatedly warned that blocking drainage channels contributes to perennial flooding during the rainy season. The arrest of Mrs McCarthy serves as a warning to residents that the government will not tolerate any actions that undermine the state's drainage infrastructure and public health.PKK
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