The sanitation enforcement teams of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources have apprehended a total of 106 residents in the state for allegedly breaching environmental sanitation laws across its 13 local government areas.
Yakubu Kwanta, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, disclosed this during a press briefing held on Saturday in Akwanga LGA, immediately following the September sanitation exercise in the state.
Kwanta revealed that among those arrested, 31 individuals were detained in Akwanga, 21 in Lafia, 29 in Karu, 4 in Nassarawa-Eggon, 6 in Awe, 5 in Kokona, 7 in Keffi, and 3 in Obi LGAs, respectively.
The commissioner emphasized that these individuals were apprehended for conducting private businesses during the ongoing sanitation exercise, thereby violating the provisions of section 9 (2) of the State Environmental Sanitation Law. He further explained that the offenders were prosecuted by mobile courts in their respective LGAs, serving as a deterrent to potential violators.
Kwanta expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by the state’s residents, noting that many shops and business establishments temporarily closed their operations during the sanitation exercise. He mentioned that only individuals with proper authorization and those engaged in essential services were allowed to move around during this period.
He also announced that the ministry would collaborate with traditional rulers and LGA chairmen to bolster enforcement in future sanitation exercises.
Furthermore, Kwanta urged the public to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings to prevent disease outbreaks. He stated that the ministry had issued notices to residents, instructing them to clear drainages around their residences and business premises to mitigate the risk of flooding.