Abia Lawmaker Slams Police for Unlawful Arrests of Sanitation Offenders, Urges CP Intervention
Kalu Mba-Nwoke, the lawmaker representing Ohafia South State Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, has condemned the indiscriminate arrest and detention of sanitation law violators by police officers without proper arraignment in Abia State’s Mobile Court. Speaking after monitoring the June sanitation exercise, Mba-Nwoke described the officers’ actions as “sabotage” against the state’s environmental laws.
Mba-Nwoke, addressing the press on Saturday, expressed frustration over the continued practice despite repeated appeals to the police. “There is a Mobile Court where offenders of sanitation laws are tried, yet officers attached to the CPS at Bende Road detain defaulters instead of transferring them for trial,” he said. He urged the State Commissioner of Police, CP Danladi Isa, to intervene and caution the officers involved, noting that the same group has been linked to this issue persistently.
The Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, praised the overall compliance during the exercise but singled out traders at OrieUgba Market for flouting government warnings by continuing business activities. He warned that the state would take strict measures against such traders in future exercises, stating, “There will be no leniency or pampering.” Ogbonna also announced plans to deploy sanitary inspectors more rigorously on sanitation days and urged residents to maintain clean environments voluntarily.
Ijeoma Iheukwumere, Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Environment, criticized youths playing football during the exercise in areas like Niger, Enugu, and Crowther streets, calling on parents to educate their children on compliance. She also warned shop owners neglecting to clean their premises, stating they would be blacklisted and face penalties.
Mazi Okereke Ogbonnaya, General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), highlighted efforts to improve environmental cleanliness, including the introduction of roadside bins, street pickers, and ASEPA waste bags for better waste management. He also discussed the state’s adoption of the Biogas Roasting Method, a safer and eco-friendly alternative to tyre-burning for processing meat at abattoirs. The initiative converts animal waste into biogas for roasting, with plans to implement it across abattoirs in the state.
During the exercise, 92 defaulters were apprehended, with 79 prosecuted, 11 discharged on health grounds, and two released due to participation in the JAMB mop-up exam. The state government reiterated its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and fostering a cleaner Abia.
Comments
Post a Comment