The Permanent Secretary and Solicitor General of Lagos State, Mr Hameed Oyenuga, on Thursday expressed concern over the worsening state of waste disposal across the state, declaring that Lagos is currently littered with refuse and “this should not be so.”
Oyenuga spoke at the two-day retreat of the Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court held at Amber Residence, Ikeja.
The retreat has “The Mandate of the Lagos State Special Offences Mobile Court, Strategies for the Path Ahead” as its theme.
He challenged stakeholders to confront what he described as an embarrassing rate of environmental decline.
“Presently, Lagos State is littered with waste, and this should not be so.
“The alarming rate of waste disposal in Lagos is very embarrassing. Virtually everywhere is littered with refuse,” he said.
Oyenuga urged the Ministry of the Environment to take particular interest in addressing the situation, stressing that environmental enforcement must produce practical and visible results.
“The question we must answer after this retreat is: how are you going to reorganise the Lagos Waste Management Authority and take waste off our streets?” he said.
Representing the Attorney General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), Oyenuga expressed concern that the current condition of the state mirrors the environmental challenges Lagos faced over two decades ago.
“What happened to the old system where waste was properly taken care of?
“It feels like we are being taken back over 20 years. The present state of Lagos in terms of waste management is like we have gone back two decades,” he said.
While acknowledging the visible role the mobile court has played in enforcing traffic, environmental, and sanitation laws since its establishment in February 2016, he stressed that enforcement alone could not succeed without institutional efficiency and inter-agency coordination.
He reiterated that the mobile court was created to provide swift justice, decongest conventional courts, and address offences relating to traffic management, environmental sanitation, public order, and other minor offences.
He, however, said the growing waste crisis showed that more decisive action was required.
“The feedback from the public is that laws are not being obeyed. And where laws are not obeyed, enforcement must be firm, consistent and fair,” he said.
He called for intelligence-led deployment of the mobile court, improved data collection on environmental offences, and stronger collaboration with agencies such as the Lagos Waste Management Authority, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, and other enforcement bodies.
Oyenuga warned that swift justice must not translate into arbitrary justice, stressing that respect for human rights and due process must remain non-negotiable even as enforcement intensified.
He added that the retreat provided an opportunity to assess the performance of the mobile court, review operational challenges, and develop practical strategies to strengthen its mandate.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that the rule of law is not only upheld but visibly enforced.
“Lagos must not regress. We must restore discipline, improve waste management systems and rebuild public confidence in law enforcement,” he said.
Oyenuga also disclosed plans to expand the operations of the mobile court to other parts of the state, particularly Ikorodu.
The Coordinator of the Special Offences Mobile Court, Mr Oluwafemi Adekunle, described the retreat as timely and necessary, calling for renewed commitment to strengthening law enforcement and improving the administration of justice in Lagos.
He noted that Lagos continued to grow in size, complexity, and economic activity, placing increasing pressure on public order, safety, and the justice system.
“In this context, the mobile court remains a pivotal instrument in ensuring that the rule of law is not only upheld but visibly enforced,” Adekunle said.
He recalled that the Special Offences Mobile Court was established in February 2016 to provide swift administration of justice and decongest conventional courts.
He added that it was conceived as a proactive response to the need for prompt handling of offences relating to traffic management, environmental sanitation, public safety, and other order-related violations.
Since its establishment, he said, the mobile court had promoted discipline, deterrence, and respect for the rule of law across communities in the state.
Adekunle stated that the retreat would allow participants to reflect on the effectiveness of the court, examine the alignment between policy and practice, and assess performance with a view to strengthening its mandate.
“This retreat offers us a valuable opportunity to review our processes, identify challenges, and develop practical strategies that will enhance efficiency, fairness, and public confidence in the Mobile Court system,” he said.
He urged participants to engage fully in discussions and contribute constructively toward improving the court’s operations.
Adekunle appreciated the continued support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Attorney General, and other stakeholders in ensuring that the mobile court remained effective.
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