The Nasarawa State Government has stepped up Nasarawa sanitation enforcement as the rainy season reaches its peak, introducing tougher environmental monitoring measures aimed at reducing flooding and improving public hygiene across the state.
Authorities also confirmed that 126 people were arrested during the July monthly environmental sanitation exercise for violating the state’s environmental sanitation regulations. The disclosure was made on Saturday in Lafia by the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Margaret Elayo, through the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ede Yakubu, while briefing journalists after the sanitation exercise.
According to the commissioner, the latest sanitation operation recorded widespread participation from residents and achieved greater success due to a revised enforcement strategy. She explained that officials introduced surprise roadblocks at strategic locations across the state to identify and apprehend sanitation offenders.
One of the newly monitored areas was around the College of Agriculture, where enforcement officers intercepted several violators who had not anticipated the operation. Elayo said she personally supervised monitoring teams controlling movement into and out of the town, describing the approach as more effective than previous exercises.
As part of efforts to minimise flooding during the rainy season, Elayo announced that the Nasarawa State Waste Management Agency and the Nasarawa State Environmental Protection Agency would begin daily environmental surveillance. She said personnel would be deployed to monitor communities, evacuate waste regularly and educate residents on the dangers of dumping refuse into drainage channels.
According to her, keeping drainage systems free of waste remains one of the most effective ways to reduce flooding. She added that the state was transitioning from monthly sanitation exercises to continuous daily monitoring in order to maintain cleaner surroundings throughout the rainy season.
The state’s Chief Prosecuting Officer, Abubakar Mohammed, confirmed that 126 offenders were arrested during the sanitation exercise across Nasarawa State. He disclosed that commercial tricycle operators, commonly known as Keke riders, accounted for the largest number of arrests.
Mohammed, however, noted that overall compliance with the sanitation exercise remained encouraging, as many businesses observed the sanitation restrictions by keeping their shops closed during the designated exercise period. Individuals found moving around during the restricted hours were also apprehended.
Mohammed further revealed that authorities have intensified enforcement of drainage desilting in line with Section 13 of the state’s environmental law, which mandates property owners to clear drainage channels in front of their buildings. According to him, 16 people were arrested in the previous week alone for failing to comply with the drainage clearance directive.
He observed that many residents have now begun removing refuse from drainage systems to support the free flow of water and reduce the risk of flooding. While the monthly sanitation exercise will continue, Mohammed said it will now be complemented by daily waste evacuation and sustained public awareness campaigns throughout the rainy season as part of the state’s broader flood prevention strategy.
