About 10 persons have been arrested by the Alimosho Local Council of Lagos State for indiscriminate dumping of waste in various parts of the council area.
 
The arrests were made during the maiden enforcement operation of Project Iron Shield, an environmental sanitation initiative launched by the local government to tackle illegal waste disposal and environmental degradation.
 
A statement issued by the Head of Legal Services and Chairman of the Project Iron Shield Task Force, Taiwo Onayinka, said the overnight operation, conducted on June 11, 2026, covered the Egbeda Road corridor, Shasha axis and Dopemu Under Bridge, areas identified as hotspots for indiscriminate refuse dumping.
 
According to him, the suspects were apprehended while allegedly disposing of waste at unauthorised locations.He emphasised that they would be prosecuted in line with existing environmental and public health regulations in the state.
   
The council said the operation marked a major step in its determination to restore environmental sanity across Alimosho and eliminate illegal dumpsites.
 
It added that the initiative was a sustained enforcement programme aimed at ensuring cleaner communities and curbing activities that contribute to environmental pollution.
“A clean environment is not built by speeches but by collective responsibility and firm enforcement. Where persuasion fails, the law must prevail. It is no longer business as usual for environmental offenders in Alimosho,” Onayinka said.
   
He warned residents and businesses against violating sanitation laws.
The council also warned that property owners, tenants, commercial operators and other individuals who deliberately fail to pay statutory waste management charges would face prosecution.
 
Onayinka said the initiative was a practical demonstration of the environmental renewal agenda of the Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Akinpelu Johnson.
 
He noted that the enforcement exercise became necessary to complement public sensitisation efforts on environmental sanitation.

The Project Iron Shield team comprises security personnel drawn from various government agencies working alongside environmental health and sanitation officers of the council to enforce environmental laws and maintain public order.
 
Onayinka reiterated the council’s commitment to sustaining the operation across communities within the local government area, expressing confidence that the initiative would significantly improve environmental conditions and public health outcomes.