By Muhammed Danjuma Ogwu, Lafia
The Nasarawa State Government has announced plans to enforce stricter measures in its monthly environmental sanitation exercise following the arrest of 186 individuals for violating the directive in Lafia, the state capital.
The arrests were made during Saturday’s clean-up exercise, which restricts public movement between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to allow residents to clean their surroundings. The offenders, mostly commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators, were apprehended for moving about in defiance of the sanitation order.
Speaking after leading the monitoring team, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Princess Margaret Elayo, expressed disappointment at the level of non-compliance.
“We’re going to review our strategy. Although there are already penalties for violators, it’s clear more awareness is needed. Stronger legal enforcement will also be considered to ensure people respect the rules,” she said.
Princess Elayo questioned why people found it difficult to comply with a monthly exercise that only requires staying home for a few hours. “It’s just two to three hours a month. I was shocked to see so many keke NAPEP and motorcycle riders on the roads. Next time, offenders will face arrest, vehicle impoundment, and legal action,” she warned.
During the exercise, the commissioner also identified a lack of waste management infrastructure such as incinerators and disposal bins, noting that this contributes to indiscriminate dumping of refuse across the city.