• Mobile courts to begin sittings at Ilorin Central Market
• Jail time, confiscation of wares for offenders
The Kwara State Government has issued a stern warning to residents, vowing to crack down on environmental law violators as it moves to immediately reactivate mobile courts, starting with sittings at the Ilorin Central Market (Oja-Oba).
The Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa Buge, gave the warning over the weekend during a strategic meeting with ministry staff at the Ministry’s GRA headquarters in Ilorin.
“We shall reactivate our mobile courts with immediate effect,” the Commissioner declared. “Those who dump refuse indiscriminately, trade on walkways, road medians, and other illegal spots will be prosecuted.”
According to Buge, the mobile courts will be deployed to strategic locations across the Ilorin metropolis. Law enforcement officers, including Environmental Health Officers and security agents, will accompany the courts to apprehend and sanction offenders on the spot.
She added that magistrates will be present during sittings to hand down appropriate penalties, including jail terms and confiscation of goods for those unable to pay fines.
“The government of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has committed substantial resources into infrastructural development to promote a cleaner, healthier Kwara. It is now time for residents to play their part,” Buge said.
The Commissioner also urged residents unsure of their property’s compliance status to consult the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS) for proper documentation.
In the same breath, she raised an alarm over fresh flood alerts from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), urging residents to avoid dumping waste in drainage channels, waterways, and road medians.
“Let us sustain rainfall as a divine blessing, not a disaster caused by our negligence,” she appealed.
Muritala Shakirat
Press Secretary, Ministry of Environment
