Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has faulted the decision of the Lagos State Government to reintroduce the monthly environmental sanitation exercise that restricts residents’ movement for three hours on the last Saturday of every month.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Falana described the policy as a troubling return to practices associated with Nigeria’s past military administrations. He argued that restricting citizens’ movement during sanitation hours was outdated and incompatible with democratic governance.
The senior advocate maintained that the policy could not be justified, particularly considering the substantial funds allocated to environmental management in the state’s 2026 budget. According to him, the 2026 Appropriation Law of Lagos State earmarked about N236 billion for environmental matters, including waste management and sanitation.
Falana said the funds were approved by lawmakers to strengthen waste management systems across the state. He therefore urged the government to focus on practical solutions rather than enforcing movement restrictions on residents.
He suggested that authorities should prioritise recruiting additional sanitation workers and investing in modern equipment such as mechanical sweepers for heavy debris and vacuum sweepers for dust and litter removal.
The lawyer also referenced the legal precedent set in the case of Faith Okafor v Lagos State Government, which he said declared the enforcement of movement restrictions during environmental sanitation hours illegal and unconstitutional.
The case involved a woman, Faith Okafor, who was arrested on May 25, 2013, for allegedly violating a sanitation-related movement restriction between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. She was subsequently arraigned before a special offences court and fined N2,000 after pleading guilty to wandering and loitering.
After paying the fine, Okafor challenged the action at the High Court of Lagos State, arguing that her fundamental rights — including dignity, personal liberty and freedom of movement — had been violated. Although the High Court dismissed her case, she later appealed the judgment.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos eventually ruled in her favour, holding that movement restrictions imposed during sanitation hours lacked legal backing and infringed on constitutional rights.
In a concurring judgment, Justice Biobell Abraham Georgewill cautioned against allowing executive directives to override the rule of law. He warned that prosecuting citizens based solely on a governor’s directive, rather than a properly enacted law, could create a dangerous precedent that grants public office holders excessive powers.
Falana therefore urged the Lagos State Government to reconsider the planned reintroduction of the sanitation exercise, warning that enforcing movement restrictions would amount to disregarding the appellate court’s ruling.
