The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has arrested a resident for allegedly dumping refuse into a drainage channel during rainfall, as the agency intensifies enforcement against indiscriminate waste disposal across the state.
The arrest was made during an enforcement operation aimed at preventing residents from using drainage channels and other unauthorised locations as dumping grounds.
LAWMA said the incident was particularly concerning because waste dumped into drains can obstruct the flow of rainwater and increase the risk of flooding, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
The agency has repeatedly warned residents against disposing of refuse in drainage channels, road medians and other unauthorised locations, stressing that such practices create serious environmental and public-health concerns.
The latest enforcement action forms part of the authority’s broader efforts to tackle illegal dumping and maintain cleaner communities across Lagos.
LAWMA Managing Director, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has previously stressed that residents, businesses and other stakeholders must take responsibility for proper waste disposal and use approved waste collection channels.
The authority has also continued surveillance operations across different parts of Lagos, with offenders arrested and subjected to investigation and possible prosecution under the state’s environmental laws.
Officials have warned that indiscriminate dumping is not only an environmental offence but can also contribute to blocked drainage systems, flooding and the deterioration of living conditions in affected communities.
LAWMA said enforcement would continue and urged residents to dispose of their waste through approved channels rather than dumping it in drains or other unauthorised areas.
