Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has arrested several cart pushers allegedly involved in illegal waste disposal after uncovering an unauthorised dumpsite along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway in Ojo.
The discovery was made during a routine monitoring exercise by LAWMA’s Waste Investigation, Surveillance, and Enforcement Team (Ijora–Seme Division) on Saturday, led by Mr. Oladeji Adebayo.
Speaking on the matter, LAWMA Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said, “The activities of unregulated waste handlers contribute significantly to environmental degradation and undermine the structured waste collection system operated through approved Private Sector Participation operators.”
When an Africa Health Report correspondent visited Alhaji Ede bus stop, a few meters from Alimosho General Hospital, heaps of refuse were seen littering the main road.
Residents lamented the stench and health hazards posed by the waste. One resident told our correspondent, “It is unbearable; we have to hold our noses when passing here. Something must be done urgently.”
The incident reflects the broader public outcry over accumulating waste along major highways in Lagos, which poses risks to the health and well-being of the people.
LAWMA reiterated that domestic waste collection is only carried out by registered PSP operators and warned residents against patronising unauthorised collectors.
The authority assured the public that enforcement operations would continue across identified flashpoints, stressing that offenders would face arrest and prosecution in line with environmental sanitation laws.
Residents were advised to bag their waste properly, register with approved PSP operators, and report illegal dumping through official LAWMA channels.
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