The Lagos State Office of Special Adviser, Central Business Districts (CBD) has arrested 31 traders for engaging in street trading and displaying of good in unauthorized places within the Lagos CBD.
The 31 offenders who were arrested in different locations at Balogun Street, Martins Street, Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Tom Jones and Broad Streets were arraigned before the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile Court) sitting in Alausa, Ikeja.
The offenders who were arrested by operatives of the enforcement unit of the Office of the Special Adviser on CBD were arraigned under Chief Magistrate Mrs Obasa Shakirat for committing an offence 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.
The Magistrate 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 center.
One of the offender was however to serve one hour community service due to the leniency of the magistrate.
They were all remanded at the Ebute Ero police station pending their ability to fulfilled their bail conditions or acceptance of option of imprisonment.
Special Adviser to the Governor on CBD, Olugbenga Oyerinde noted that the present administration was passionate about cleanliness of the environment and had directed CBD officials to clampdown on all violators of environmental sanitation, traffic and physical planning laws in the State.
He reiterated the determination of the present administration to restore the original master plan of the Lagos Island Business Districts and its adjourning axis by checking the activities of street traders and developers who had converted all available spaces like walkways, streets and roads to shops.
Oyerinde 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 would be spared in the present efforts to clean up the business district.
