LAGOS/Nigeria: The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has intensified its enforcement activities against improper waste disposal, sealing premises along Ago Palace Way and arresting 11 persons during separate operations on Lagos Island.
The latest enforcement actions were disclosed by the Authority’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr Mukaila Sanusi, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 17, 2026, following operations carried out in different parts of the state.
The Ago Palace Way operation targeted plazas, hotels, lounges and warehouses along the busy corridor where LAWMA said activities linked to persistent waste accumulation had created environmental concerns around road setbacks, medians and other spaces not designated for refuse disposal.
On Lagos Island, enforcement officers moved through Tinubu, Apongbon, Oke-Arin and CMC areas, where 11 persons were arrested over alleged unauthorised handling and disposal of waste.
The persons identified in the statement are Shabban Tasiu, 20; Nkechukwu Nwokeji, 40; Kolawole Elija, 28; Sunni Sado, 30; Subairu Lawal, 28; Abi Lawal, 22; Sufianu Musa, 20; Yusuf Lawan, 18; Ahmed Lawal, 25; St. Peter Eze, 23; and Udo Richard, 32.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the enforcement was part of efforts to strengthen compliance with environmental regulations and address waste management violations at the point where they occur.
Gbadegesin warned that indiscriminate dumping could undermine sanitation efforts across Lagos, urging residents, traders and businesses to avoid using roads, walkways, drains, medians and other unauthorised locations as refuse disposal points.
He said households and businesses should properly bag their waste and hand it over to accredited Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, stressing that property owners and businesses also have a responsibility for waste generated within and around their premises.
According to him, LAWMA’s enforcement strategy is not limited to making arrests, but is intended to encourage compliance and promote a sustained change in attitudes towards waste disposal.
The authority said its monitoring operations would continue across different parts of Lagos, with enforcement measures taken against individuals and businesses found violating applicable waste management regulations.
Gbadegesin also appealed to residents, traders, businesses and property owners to support the authority by using approved waste disposal channels and keeping public spaces free from refuse.
He urged members of the public to report cases of illegal dumping and other waste-related violations through LAWMA’s established channels, saying effective waste management requires cooperation between the government, residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
The latest operations come amid LAWMA’s continuing enforcement campaign against indiscriminate waste disposal across Lagos. Reports published on September 17 also confirmed the sealing of premises along Ago Palace Way and the arrest of 11 persons on Lagos Island.
