By Desmond Ali
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced that two women, Margaret Solomon, 29, and Onyia Elizabeth, 42, will be prosecuted for illegal waste dumping and non-compliance with environmental regulations.
The suspects were apprehended during a night-time operation conducted by LAWMA’s Waste Infractions and Surveillance team in the Sangotedo area along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, between Tuesday evening and the early hours of Wednesday.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, LAWMA’s Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegeshin, disclosed that the women were unable to provide verifiable residential addresses upon arrest and have since been transferred to the agency’s legal unit for prosecution in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law (EMPL 2017).
“Upon apprehension, the suspects were unable to provide verifiable residential addresses and have since been transferred to LAWMA’s legal team for prosecution in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law,” Gbadegeshin stated.
He added that photo and video evidence was collected at the scene to support the legal proceedings.
Gbadegeshin emphasized that all residents have a civic responsibility to dispose of waste properly, register with assigned PSP operators, secure LAWMA-approved smart bins, pay waste bills, and use only authorized waste collection points.
He warned that failure to comply with environmental regulations could lead to arrest, fines of up to ₦250,000, or imprisonment for up to three months.