In continuation of concerted efforts to rid Lagos highways of street trading and hawking, the Lagos State Government has effected the arrest of more than twenty-five hawkers in syndicated raids across the State.

The raid is being carried out by the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, LAGESC, popularly known as KAI.

Its Corps Marshal, Gbemisola Akinpelu says the continuous enforcement against street traders, hawkers yielded impressive outcomes as arrests and arraignments are made on a daily basis.

Akinpelu a retired Police Commissioner made this disclosure at the Command Headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi.

She highlighted the significance of the operation, saying more than twenty-five arrests were effected at Cele, Igando, Iyana-Ejigbo, Ikotun, Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda, Agege areas by the Special Squad, adding that the exercise will be continuously activated.

Akinpelu admonished environmental defaulters to desist from trading in traffic, on highways, roads, streets, setbacks, lay-bys, kerbs, medians, road verges, drainage slabs, pedestrian bridges.

She assured that there will be no hiding place for defiant traders in the habit of flouting the State’s environmental laws.

Akinpelu also stressed the importance of pedestrians’ safety, urging for the appropriate use of pedestrian bridges strategically constructed on major highways in the State to mitigate ‘hit and run’ incidents by speeding motorists.

She underscored the importance of residences and buildings to be in possession of valid waste collection contracts by accredited LAWMA-PSP operators.

The Corps Marshal read the riot act to defaulters on the need to retrace their steps as the Courts empower the Agency to enforce non-payment of waste bills for onward prosecution by means of arrest.

She enjoined residences to desist from channelling sewage into the gutters and drains which constitutes health and environmental hazards, vowing to deal decisively with defaulters in accordance to the established laws.

This is according to a statement by LAGESC Head, Public Affairs, Ajayi Lukman.