Seven individuals have faced legal proceedings at the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in the Ikeja Magisterial District, accused of assaulting enforcement personnel from the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) during an environmental monitoring operation.
The defendants, identified as Olamilekan Abdullahi (21), Akeem Olamilekan (24), Frank Tom (25), Sakiru Jamiu (20), Emmanuel Abiodun (41), Olarewanju Onyowale (35), and Taiwo Yusuf (30), were apprehended on March 8, 2026, in the Moshalashi Jimoh area of Lagos Island while the LAWMA team was conducting routine checks against illegal waste dumping.
They were subsequently brought before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court on March 10, 2026, in the case of Attorney General of Lagos State v. Olamilekan Abdullahi & 6 Others.
The charges against them include five counts involving actions likely to breach the peace, illegal dumping of refuse in unauthorized places, failing to engage an approved Private Sector Participant (PSP) for waste management, obstructing officers in their official duties, and assaulting the enforcement officers.
All seven defendants entered a plea of not guilty when the charges were presented in court.
The court scheduled a trial for April 24, 2026, and granted bail to the defendants at a sum of N200,000 each, with the requirement to provide two responsible sureties—one must be a recognized community leader, while the second should be a relative who is gainfully employed.
Until the conditions for bail are met, the defendants will remain in custody at a correctional facility.
LAWMA has emphasized that any act of obstruction or assault on its enforcement officials is a serious violation of Lagos State laws, reiterating that actions that threaten the effectiveness of environmental enforcement will be dealt with through strict legal measures.
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