The Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Taskforce), CSP Adetayo Akerele, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and maintaining order across Lagos, while strongly rejecting allegations of misconduct leveled against its operatives, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
Speaking at a quarterly media parley held at the Multi-Agency Safety Arena in Bolade-Oshodi, CSP Akerele outlined the Taskforce’s broad mandate to ensure a “safe and convenient metro-city” through sustained enforcement and public engagement.
“The primary duty of the Lagos State Taskforce is to make Lagos, your Lagos, our Lagos, environmentally safe and convenient for all residents,” he said, highlighting routine advocacy, raids on criminal hideouts, removal of shanties, and enforcement against street trading, open defecation, and traffic violations as key strategies.
CSP Akerele disclosed that the Lagos State Government would resume its monthly voluntary environmental sanitation exercise from April 2026, noting that the Taskforce would play a central role in its implementation to boost public health outcomes.
Addressing recent controversies surrounding enforcement activities on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, the Chairman emphasized that regulations guiding their use are in the public interest. “The rules governing the operation or use of the BRT were put in place in the interest of the public, which is what the corridor serves and not Akerele, not members of the Taskforce, not any single agency of the government, but the larger Lagos,” he stated.
He also recounted an incident involving a social media personality and owner of Objectv who allegedly misrepresented the actions of the Taskforce. According to Akerele, the individual falsely accused operatives of wrongdoing after a vehicle was lawfully impounded for traffic violations.
“The driver in question actually contravened state traffic laws. He was lawfully arrested for the offences,” he clarified, adding that attempts to pressure the agency through “subtle blackmail” would not succeed.
Reaffirming the agency’s stance, Akerele declared: “No single individual is greater than an entire state, no individual’s interest should outweigh the interests of Lagosians.”
“We will continue to refuse to cow or let the selfish interests or demands of individuals to distract or derail us from our fundamental duties and roles as the custodian of an environmentally friendly Lagos, thus, to do otherwise is to denounce the confidence that the Governor of Lagos Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on behalf of Lagosians reposed in us.”
He assured residents of the Taskforce’s openness to constructive feedback, while maintaining that it would not be deterred from its mission to restore order and environmental sanity across the state.
