Courts Convict 400 Sanitation Law Offenders In Kwara

Not fewer than 400 persons have been convicted and fined by mobile courts for sanitation law violations in Kwara State.

The Commissioner for Environment in the state, Hajia Nafisat Buge who disclosed this said the convict were arrested during the monthly sanitation exercise of last Saturday and prosecuted by mobile courts working with the State Environmental Law Task Force.

Buge, who led the task force said that, “the offenders were apprehended and charged to 17 mobile courts that were strategically positioned across Ilorin metropolis.”

“The good aspect of it is that none of the offenders can feign ignorance of last Saturday sanitation exercise, as enough sensitisation was carried out, by the ministry on radio, newspapers and online. It is obvious they willfully flouted the laws and so, made to face the full wrath of law, to serve as a deterrent to others,” she added.

On the extension of time of the sanitation exercise from two hours to three hours, Buge said, “It is in line with the state Environmental Sanitation Law of Section 29 (2) CAP E4 of 2006 which stipulates that the hours of sanitation is from 7am – 10am.”

She said that the move becomes necessary to ensure total eradication of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and forestall the outbreak of diseases in the state.

The Commissioner added that the sanitation exercise has to be taken seriously in accordance with the laws of the state.