The Special Offences (Mobile) Court sitting in the Ikeja Magisterial District of Lagos has ordered the remand of seven persons in a correctional facility over the alleged assault of enforcement officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority during an environmental enforcement exercise.
The suspects — Olamilekan Abdullahi, 21; Akeem Olamilekan, 24; Frank Tom, 25; Sakiru Jamiu, 20; Emmanuel Abiodun, 41; Olarewanju Onyowale, 35; and Taiwo Yusuf, 30 — were reportedly arrested on March 8, 2026, at Moshalashi Jimoh area of Lagos Island while officials were conducting routine inspections to curb indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
The defendants were subsequently arraigned on March 10 before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in a suit filed by the Attorney General of Lagos State titled Attorney General of Lagos State v. Olamilekan Abdullahi and six others.
They were docked on a five-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, illegal disposal of waste at unauthorised locations, refusal to patronise approved Private Sector Participant waste operators, obstruction of enforcement officers in the discharge of their duties, and assault.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.
Following their pleas, the court adjourned the case until April 24, 2026, for further hearing and granted each defendant bail in the sum of ₦200,000 with two sureties. The court ruled that one of the sureties must be a recognised community leader, while the other must be a gainfully employed family member.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants were ordered to be remanded in custody.
Reacting to the development, LAWMA stressed that attacking or obstructing its enforcement personnel remains a serious violation of Lagos State environmental laws, adding that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.