- Safiu Kehinde
No fewer than 37 Lagos traders have been arrested and bound to face charges over alleged assault on enforcement officers and removal of seal order.
The traders comprising of 23 male and 14 female were apprehended by the Lagos State Taskforce on Thursday following the alleged assault after committing environmental infractions at Kodesoh, Ikeja.
As contained in a post on X by the Lagos Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the arrested persons and others at large had last week Saturday at about 2pm attacked the patrol team of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), known as Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials, on patrol.
He recounted how the traders had assaulted the KAI officers after being advised to remove their wares which was displayed on the walkways and roadside and indiscriminate refuse dumping.
“In the process of the patrol operation, some of the traders resisted the directive and also brutalized a KAI officer on lawful duty and also seized his phone.
“All the stalls erected on the walkways and roadside were sealed but in a defiant action, all the government seals were removed and the traders resumed trading.” The commissioner wrote.
He confirmed the arrest of some of the traders and the resealing of the stalls while vowing to prosecute them.
“The stalls were resealed and the offending traders were arrested.
“They will all prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the relevant laws of the state.” Wahab added.