Sanitation: Controlled Movement Doesn’t Contravene Appeal Court Judgment, Says Lagos AG
Lagos State Government Defends Sanitation Movement Directive
The Lagos State Government has defended its directive on controlled movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, asserting that it is consistent with a recent Court of Appeal ruling.
In a statement released on Friday, Lawal Pedro, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, addressed concerns regarding the legality of the measure. He clarified that interpretations of the Court of Appeal’s recent decision regarding environmental sanitation in Lagos are misguided.
Pedro highlighted that the ruling, delivered on November 23, 2021, confirmed the legitimacy of the environmental sanitation exercise, stating that it is backed by law. He noted that the court found no breach of the fundamental rights of the applicant, Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
He further explained that Adegboruwa, dissatisfied with the decision, has appealed to the Supreme Court, which has yet to overturn the Court of Appeal’s ruling. Additionally, Pedro indicated that a prior judgment from November 2016, involving Faith Okafor against the Lagos State Government, has been superseded by the 2021 ruling.
Pedro reassured residents that they are permitted to travel on streets that are not blocked during the sanitation exercise. Streets where cleaning is actively taking place may be temporarily closed to ensure the safety of both the public and sanitation officials.
