In line with the resolves to rid the state of street trading and other environmental nuisance, the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts has arrested 31 persons for engaging in street trading and displaying of good in unauthorised places within the Lagos Island Business District.
The arrests were carried out on Thursday, a statement by the LIBD said.
The 31 persons, who were arrested in different locations at Balogun Street, Martins Street, Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Tom Jones Street and Broad Street, were arraigned before the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile Court) sitting in Alausa, Ikeja.
The offenders, who where arrested by operatives of the enforcement unit of the Office of the Special Adviser on Central Business Districts, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Shakirat Obasa for committing offences contrary to the Environmental Management and Protection Law of Lagos State 2017.
Their charge was read by the court and they all pleaded guilty as charged and begged the magistrate to tamper justice with mercy.
Obasa in her ruling fined 30 of the offenders N20,000 each or an option to serve a jail term of one month in a correction centre.
One of the offenders was however to serve one hour community service due to the leniency of the magistrate.
They where all reminded at the Ebute Ero Police Station pending their ability to fulfill their bail conditions or acceptance of option of imprisonment.
Speaking on the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts, Olugbenga Olarenwaju Oyerinde, noted that the Administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was passionate about cleanliness of the environment and had directed CBD officials to clamp down on all violators of environmental sanitation, traffic and physical planning laws in the State.
Oyerinde once again reiterated the determination of the present administration to restore the original master plan of the Lagos Island Business Districts and its adjoining streets by checking the activities of street traders and developers who have converted all available spaces like walkways, streets and roads to shops.
He called on traders, especially those selling on the streets and walkways, to remove their extensions and makeshift shops from the roads immediately as no one will be spared in the present efforts to clean up the business district.