The Lagos State Government has clarified that residents are free to move around during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, warning that any arrest solely for movement during the exercise is unlawful.

The clarification was made by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in a post on X on Saturday, July 25, 2026.

Wahab was responding to an X user, Faveo Autos, who asked about the penalty for moving around during the sanitation exercise and alleged that someone had been arrested at the Ikeja Police Station.

“For clarity, there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise. Consequently, arresting anyone on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not represent the position or policy of the Lagos State Government,” he said.

Wahab explained that the monthly exercise was reintroduced to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across Lagos State.

He noted that the initiative is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, but stressed that the law does not restrict movement during the exercise.

“The monthly environmental sanitation exercise was reintroduced primarily to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across the State. The initiative is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017. However, the law does not provide for any restriction on movement during the exercise,” he said.

The Commissioner added that the Government’s priority was to encourage residents to see environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility instead of depending primarily on enforcement.

“Our focus is on encouraging Lagosians to embrace environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility and a shared commitment to maintaining a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos, rather than relying on enforcement measures,” Wahab said.

For years, Lagosians have complained about harassment and arrests during the monthly exercise, with many citing it as a disruption to business and movement. This new clarification is expected to address those concerns.