The Lagos State Government has responded to Instagram blogger Tunde Ednut after he posted a video allegedly showing large heaps of waste in the Mushin area, with the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, directly addressing the blogger on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, September 5, 2026.
Wahab described the footage as old and insisted it did not reflect the current condition of the area, which he said had already been cleared. He also criticised what he called Tunde Ednut's "persistent tendency to portray Nigeria, particularly Lagos State, in a negative light, often to the detriment of your audience."
Commissioner Says Location Has Been Cleared by LAWMA
In his statement, Wahab acknowledged that Lagos, like other major cities, faces ongoing waste management challenges. He specifically pointed to residents and property owners who refuse to pay for private-sector participation waste collection services as a recurring obstacle. However, he maintained that teams from the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have consistently stepped in to tackle problem areas and remain committed to keeping communities clean.
"Dear Tunde @mazitundeednut, We understand your persistent tendency to portray Nigeria, particularly Lagos State, in a negative light, often to the detriment of your audience. However, we believe it is important to verify information before publishing it. You can still generate engagement and earn from your content without inadvertently misleading your followers," Wahab wrote.
He continued: "Contrary to your recent post showing the state of the road in Mushin, the video shared is an old one and does not reflect the current situation in the area. The location has since been cleared, and LAWMA has continued to sustain its operations in the area."
Government Urges Content Creators to Verify Facts
Wahab wrapped up his statement with a direct appeal to Tunde Ednut and content creators more broadly, calling on them to cross-check information before publishing. "We therefore encourage you to verify your information before publishing, rather than relying on outdated content that could give a misleading impression of the current situation or unnecessarily project Lagos and Nigeria in a negative light," he wrote.
He closed by drawing a line between criticism that drives change and content that simply distorts reality. "Constructive criticism is welcome, but it is most effective when it is based on accurate and verifiable information," the commissioner added.
In a related development, media personality Daddy Freeze has disagreed with the Lagos State government's decision to label car spotters as criminals, although he admitted that some needed to stop blocking traffic and chasing vehicles. Freeze argued that the young people had created a legitimate content industry and questioned what alternative opportunities were available to them. He urged the government to regulate the activity with clear guidelines, taxation, equipment and security instead of imposing a wholesale crackdown.
