The Lagos State Government has confirmed that citizens are permitted to travel freely while the monthly environmental sanitation exercise takes place. Officials emphasized that no current policy prohibits movement, making any detentions based on such activity strictly illegal.
Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, addressed the issue on X following a report of an arrest at the Ikeja Police Station. He explicitly stated that the state has not issued any mandate to restrict public movement during the cleanup.
The sanitation program, established under the 2017 Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, aims to foster better hygiene habits rather than serve as a mechanism for enforcement. Wahab explained that the government prefers to inspire residents to take responsibility for a cleaner state voluntarily instead of using punitive measures. He reaffirmed that any law enforcement action taken solely for moving during this time is unauthorized.
