By: Balogun Tumininu
A Magistrate Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced 40 residents to three months imprisonment each for violating the state’s Environmental Law. The defendants pleaded guilty to charges ranging from indiscriminate refuse disposal to illegal scavenging.
Presiding Magistrate Saidu Tunde Abdulkareem handed down the sentence, with an option of a 50,000 fine, in line with the state’s Environmental Law. Thirty-one defendants were arrested for improper refuse disposal, while nine were caught for illegal scavenging.
State Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Hon Nafisat Buge, welcomed the judgment, stating that the enforcement of the Environmental Law aims to prevent disease outbreaks, flood disasters, and other dangers associated with improper waste disposal.
The Ministry recently established a task force to arrest individuals breaching environmental standards, and a Mobile Court to prosecute offenders. Buge emphasized the importance of proper waste management, urging residents to use designated bins or commercial waste collectors.
The exercise will continue until residents comply with environmental regulations, she added. The Ministry has been sensitizing the public through physical engagement and media advocacy, and has assessed and cleared blocked drainages caused by improper waste disposal.