Sanitation Exercise Returns to Lagos With Controlled Movement Policy

Stories by Steve Aya

The Lagos State Government has clarified that the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise does not violate residents’ fundamental rights, contrary to widespread media reports. The clarification follows renewed public debate over the legality of restricting movement during sanitation hours.

The State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, stated that the subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria delivered on November 23, 2021, upheld the legality of the sanitation exercise. He explained that the court ruled in favour of the Government, affirming that the exercise is backed by law and does not breach fundamental rights.

According to him, the case was instituted by Ebun Adegboruwa, SAN, who later appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Nigeria after the ruling did not go in his favour. Pedro noted that the Apex Court is yet to overturn the Court of Appeal’s judgement, making it the prevailing legal position. He further dismissed reliance on an earlier 2019 appellate decision in Faith Okafor v Lagos State Government, stating that it no longer reflects the current state of the law. The Attorney-General maintained that the 2021 judgement of the same court, effectively supersedes the earlier ruling and remains binding.

 Pedro explained that the present policy does not impose a total restriction on movement, but introduces a system of controlled access. He said residents are still free to move through roads and streets not directly affected by sanitation activities, while temporary restrictions may apply in areas where cleaning is ongoing for safety reasons. He emphasised that the approach strikes a balance between public health objectives and individual rights, noting that temporary traffic control is necessary to protect both sanitation workers and residents. The Government, he added, remains committed to ensuring that the exercise is conducted within the bounds of the law.