The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Lagos State Police Command have agreed to strengthen their collaboration to tackle indiscriminate waste dumping, illegal activities and encroachment at dumpsites, while improving the protection of waste management facilities and personnel across the state.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made the call during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in GRA, Ikeja, on Tuesday.
Gbadegesin said the growing population of Lagos had continued to place enormous pressure on the state’s waste management infrastructure, with daily waste generation estimated at between 13,000 and 16,000 tonnes. He noted that the increasing volume of waste required sustained operational interventions, effective enforcement and stronger collaboration among relevant government agencies.
The LAWMA boss said the authority was intensifying waste collection, infrastructure development, recycling and resource recovery initiatives but stressed that the support of security agencies remained critical to enforcing environmental regulations and protecting waste management infrastructure.
He also raised concerns over the safety of LAWMA personnel, including enforcement officers, street sweepers and workers involved in evacuating illegally dumped refuse. According to him, some personnel have faced resistance and attacks while carrying out their duties, including incidents involving unauthorised persons and armed scavengers.
Gbadegesin therefore called for increased police presence and security support around critical LAWMA facilities, operational locations and areas prone to illegal dumping and other unlawful activities.
Responding, CP Tijani Fatai commended LAWMA for its efforts to maintain a clean, healthy and sustainable environment across Lagos State. He said indiscriminate waste dumping and other environmental violations by some residents continued to undermine progress in waste management and sanitation.
The police commissioner assured LAWMA of the command’s full cooperation in strengthening enforcement operations and addressing illegal dumping, unauthorised occupation and encroachment at dumpsites, as well as attacks on the authority’s personnel.
Fatai said the police would work closely with LAWMA to ensure that environmental offenders face the consequences of their actions while supporting efforts to protect the agency’s facilities, operational assets and workforce.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both agencies to sustained collaboration, stronger enforcement and stakeholder engagement in promoting a cleaner, safer and more sustainable Lagos.
