Human rights lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, has strongly opposed the reintroduction of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise by the Lagos State Government, arguing that any form of movement restriction tied to the exercise lacks legal backing.
In a statement he e-signed on Saturday titled “Environmental Sanitation Does Not Require Force or Compulsion or Movement Restrictions,” the Senior Advocate of Nigeria criticised the policy, which resumed across Lagos.
Adegboruwa maintained that no existing law in the state authorises the government to confine residents indoors for sanitation purposes, stressing that enforcing such restrictions amounts to an abuse of power.
He described the approach as outdated and unsuitable for a modern, densely populated city like Lagos, noting that sanitation efforts should not rely on coercion.
According to him, democratic governance does not permit the imposition of policies on citizens through force, insisting that compliance should be voluntary rather than enforced.
The legal practitioner challenged the state authorities to present any valid law supporting the restriction of movement during sanitation hours, insisting that none exists.
He warned that implementing such measures without legal justification is both illegal and unconstitutional.
The Lagos State Government had earlier announced the return of the monthly sanitation exercise, encouraging residents to participate in efforts aimed at maintaining environmental cleanliness across the state.
