CITIZENS COMPASS—The Corps Marshal, Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (Rtd), has explained how the agency is sustaining the enforcement on Styrofoam food containers across the State.
He said the actions were corrective rather than punitive.
Speaking over the weekend, at the management retreat of the Agency held at the Epe area of Lagos, Rtd Major Cole said that the steps taken so far were aimed at instilling discipline, safeguarding public spaces, and improving compliance.
The Corp Marshal said thousands of the offenders were apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He said part of the strategies applied to achieve this feat include advocacy campaigns via radio and television jingles, constant engagement with market leaders and other stakeholders to ensure voluntary compliance.
According to Cole: We also sustained the enforcement of the ban on Styrofoam food containers, which remain a major contributor to blocked drainage systems and flooding. Given their non-biodegradable and non-recyclable nature, Styrofoam products pose serious environmental and health risks. We therefore encourage the use of environmentally friendly alternatives.
In furtherance of our mandate, thousands of offenders were apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law. These actions are corrective, not punitive, and are aimed at instilling discipline, safeguarding public spaces, and improving compliance.
On our part, we have embarked on several advocacy campaigns via radio and television jingles, constant engagement with market leaders and other stakeholders to ensure voluntary compliance to completely eradicate street trading, hawking, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, open defecation, urination and other environmental nuisances in Lagos State as it relates to the society general being.”
On the retreat, he said, it was “strategically designed to enhance effective and efficient service delivery to our great State, Lagos.
“It is both gratifying and a great honour to be part of this year’s Management Retreat, convened to undertake an in-depth review of our programmes, activities and take a breather from our daily enforcement routine. This retreat is strategically designed to enhance effective and efficient service delivery to our great State, Lagos, in line with the THEMES+ agenda of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Lagso State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to make Lagos habitable for business while ensuring constant monitoring of our environs in accordance with global best practices in enforcement techniques.
It is important to note that this retreat also provides a relaxed and innovative atmosphere that encourages collaboration, brainstorming, and strategic decision-making—free from the distractions of our daily operational engagements.
The theme of this retreat, “Leading the Change, Building Collaborations Towards Environmental Safety and Awareness” is both timely and appropriate. It underscores the need to sharpen our knowledge, harness our collective intellect, and channel our interests and potentials toward positive transformation and sustainable development of the Agency and Lagos State at large.”
Speaking about other feats by LAGESC, he said:Throughout the year 2025, LAGESC intensified enforcement operations across major highways, inner roads, markets, pedestrian bridges, and public spaces. These operations targeted street trading, illegal dumping of refuse, abuse of road setbacks, medians, drainage channels, and the unlawful occupation of pedestrian bridges.
Most recently, we have intensified our operations to apprehend defiant pedestrians engaging in unsafe highway crossing in various parts of the State and defaulters engaging in open defecation and urination]. Several arrests have been made, and offenders are being duly prosecuted through the appropriate courts.
Let me assure you, Sir, that this exercise will be sustained and progressively extended to all parts of the State as we remain resolute in safeguarding lives and promoting compliance with environmental and public safety regulations.
We therefore wish to solicit for your support and necessary assistance for increase in welfare package, workforce, operational supports and capacity building amongst others towards achieving effective service delivery in line with the mandate of Mr. Governor for zero tolerance to all environmental abuses.”
