Ops team cordons off blackspot, arrests illegal waste handler and two others, schedules community meeting to address PSP failure

Ejibunu Mercy

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) Waste Investigation, Surveillance and Enforcement Operatives have intensified enforcement monitoring along the Ikorodu Road corridor, with a series of operations conducted on Friday, September 4, 2026, targeting indiscriminate refuse disposal and illegal waste collection activities. The operations, which covered Owode Elede and Owode Onirin, reflect the Authority’s sustained commitment to restoring environmental order across Lagos.

At Owode Elede, the enforcement team cordoned off a waste blackspot with caution tape to prevent continuous indiscriminate refuse disposal on the spot. In a separate operation at the same location, the team apprehended a cart and its pusher, along with two other individuals who attempted to engage the operatives in a physical confrontation. The suspects were taken into custody and will be prosecuted in line with the environmental protection laws of Lagos State.

The enforcement team also engaged with community leaders at the God First Community Development Association (CDA) in Owode Onirin, Ikorodu Road. The team met with Mr. Michael Odeh, the Community Security Officer (C.S.O.), who confirmed that the community has an assigned PSP operator but that the service has been non-functional for the past two months. The team, led by Mr. Ajayi Babatunde, instructed the C.S.O. to communicate with the CDA Chairman and schedule an urgent meeting involving the community, the assigned PSP operator, and the enforcement team to address the waste management failure and find a sustainable solution.

The enforcement operations underscore LAWMA’s commitment to not only enforcing environmental laws but also engaging communities to resolve underlying waste management challenges. The Authority reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on indiscriminate waste disposal and illegal waste collection, warning that those who flout the regulations would be arrested and prosecuted.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, commended the enforcement team for its professionalism and urged residents to patronise only approved PSP operators and to report any illegal waste collection or dumping activities in their communities.