The Lagos State Government has dismissed reports suggesting that it has transferred environmental enforcement responsibilities from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

The clarification was issued on Tuesday, June 23, by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, through a public statement posted on his official communication channels.

The response followed claims circulated by some bloggers and social media commentators alleging that the state government had assigned members of the NURTW responsibilities traditionally carried out by KAI officers, including the arrest of environmental offenders, amid ongoing efforts to address waste management challenges across Lagos.

What they are saying

Wahab described the reports as misinformation, stressing that recent engagements between the Lagos State Government and transport unions were never intended to replace the statutory responsibilities of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps.

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According to him, the government remains committed to strengthening environmental compliance through collaboration with stakeholders while retaining existing enforcement structures.

  • “LAGESC, in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force, remains the duly empowered environmental enforcement arm of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources,” he said.

The commissioner explained that the partnership with transport unions is designed to tackle persistent environmental challenges within motor parks, garages and the broader public transportation ecosystem, including indiscriminate waste disposal and illegal trading activities.

He added that stakeholder engagement would complement, rather than replace, existing environmental enforcement efforts across the state.

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The clarification comes three months after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the reintroduction of the Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise in Lagos State as part of efforts to improve environmental cleanliness and restore civic responsibility among residents.

The exercise, which will hold on the last Saturday of every month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., is expected to be monitored by government officials, with sanctions imposed on environmental offenders.

As part of preparations for the renewed sanitation campaign, the state government has intensified collaboration with various stakeholders and agencies, including transport unions whose activities directly impact environmental conditions in parks and garages.

Wahab said the engagement was intended to encourage compliance and improve waste management practices within the transportation sector.

  • “The State Government’s engagement with transport unions is aimed at fostering collaboration, promoting shared responsibility, and ensuring improved cleanliness and proper waste management within their respective parks and garages. This partnership does not in any way diminish, transfer, or replace the enforcement responsibilities of LAGESC and the Task Force,” he stated.

What you should know

Environmental regulation and enforcement in Lagos are carried out by a number of agencies, including the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), which is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with environmental laws across the state.

  • In recent months, LASEPA has intensified enforcement activities against environmental violations. On June 16, reports indicated that the agency sealed several hotels, churches, lounges and other establishments over noise pollution and related environmental offences.

Earlier, in May 2026, the Lagos State Government shut down multiple commercial and residential properties in Lekki and Ikeja for failing to comply with mandatory elevator safety regulations.