A Magistrate Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced three individuals for assaulting officials of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, also known as Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, during a routine enforcement exercise.
The defendants; Farouk Olori (25), Ogundare Oluwatobiloba (27), and Taoreed Alimi (20), were arraigned before Magistrate Ariyo of the Special Offences Court on a three-count charge bordering on breach of peace, obstruction of lawful duty, and assault, contrary to the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The Corps Marshal of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Cole (retd.), disclosed the development at the agency’s headquarters in Bolade-Oshodi.
Cole explained that the enforcement action followed complaints from residents over environmental violations along Olowu Street in the Ipodo area, where illegal trading activities were obstructing both vehicular and pedestrian movement.
He noted that the agency had earlier issued abatement notices to encourage voluntary compliance, but enforcement became necessary after the directives were ignored.
According to him, operatives moved in to clear the obstructions when the suspects attacked the officials, leading to their arrest. One of the officers was injured during the incident and was immediately treated.
Delivering judgment, Magistrate Ariyo sentenced the first and third defendants to one week in custody with an option of community service, while the second defendant was handed a one-year prison term based on the evidence presented before the court.
Reacting to the ruling, Cole described the verdict as a strong deterrent against acts of violence and resistance to lawful enforcement operations.
He urged residents to adhere strictly to environmental regulations and avoid actions that could result in prosecution.
The Corps Marshal also reiterated that trading on road setbacks and other restricted areas, as well as open urination and defecation, remain offences under Lagos State environmental laws.
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