By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Kwara State Government on Saturday arrested and prosecuted over 300 persons for violating environmental sanitation law.
The exercise is a monthly routine which compels residents to stay indoors and clean their environments except those on essential duties.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Abosede Olaitan Buraimoh, who revealed the number of offenders led the enforcement team alongside the Chairman, Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Taskforce, Air Vice Marshal, Ishaq Balogun, (rtd).
She warned that the current dispensation has zero tolerance for environmental pollution and would stop at nothing to keep Kwara clean.
Buraimoh explained that the need to arrest the violators became necessary in order to put an end to environmental nuisance in the state.
The Commissioner expressed dismay at people’s attitude during the exercise despite meetings held with various environmental stakeholders, sensitization, as well as publicity, on radio regarding the monthly exercise.
“It is disheartening that despite efforts of this administration at providing an enabling and sustainable environment to residents, people still went ahead violating the environmental laws of the state, not minding the fact that a filthy environment poses threats to individuals lives, forgetting that when epidemics break out, it knows no bound,” the Commissioner added.