Falana and Adegboruwa Condemn Lagos State's Plan to Revive Monthly Sanitation Exercise
Prominent human rights lawyers Femi Falana and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa have strongly criticized the Lagos State Government's proposal to reintroduce the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, which includes movement restrictions for residents. They argue that this move violates an existing court order and represents an outdated policy from Nigeria's military past.
Legal Challenges and Court Orders
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately suspend the planned resumption of the exercise. He emphasized that the policy was nullified by the Federal High Court in 2015, and the matter is still pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Adegboruwa stated that proceeding with the exercise would be unlawful and disrespectful to the rule of law.
According to Adegboruwa, a motion filed at the Supreme Court registry on July 22, 2024, seeks an injunction to restrain the governor and other respondents from restricting the movement of Lagos residents on the last Saturday of every month for sanitation purposes. The application also aims to prevent arrests or detentions for non-compliance while the appeal remains unresolved. This motion, supported by 15 grounds, was signed by Oluwatosin Adesioye, Deputy Head of Chambers at Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN & Co.
Femi Falana's Criticism of the Policy
Similarly, human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has condemned the Lagos State Government's decision to reintroduce the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, which would restrict movement for three hours. Falana described the policy as a "sad reminder" of primitive practices inherited from Nigeria's defunct military regimes. He argued that the reintroduction cannot be justified, especially given the state's environmental budget.
Falana pointed out that the 2026 Appropriation Law of Lagos State allocated approximately N236 billion to environmental matters, including urban waste management and sanitation. He stressed that lawmakers approved these funds to enhance waste management systems across the state, making the restrictive exercise unnecessary and regressive.
Background and Implications
The criticisms from Falana and Adegboruwa follow recent reports indicating that the Lagos State Government is considering bringing back the monthly environmental sanitation exercise. This policy, which was previously enforced, has been a subject of legal and public debate due to its impact on residents' freedoms and its effectiveness in addressing environmental issues.
Both lawyers highlight the importance of adhering to judicial decisions and modernizing approaches to environmental management. They urge the government to focus on utilizing allocated funds for sustainable waste management solutions rather than reviving a contested and restrictive exercise.
