At least 17 people were arrested in Gombe State on Saturday for breaking environmental sanitation rules during the state’s monthly clean-up day.
Those arrested, including motorcycle riders (known as Mai Achaba), tricycle operators, and workers at fuel stations and restaurants, were taken to a mobile court at Gombe Divisional Police Station to face trial.
The state government announced that from now on, offenders will be required to sweep and cut grass as punishment. Speaking to journalists, Mohammed Fawu, the Commissioner for Water, Environment, and Forest Resources, explained that the strict enforcement is meant to encourage cleanliness in the state.
“Health is wealth, and it should not be abandoned for any reason. The current administration is committed to prioritising the well-being of residents,” Fawu said. He urged residents to take sanitation seriously, noting that some offenders claimed they were headed to the farm because they were hungry. “Will they go to the farm when they are ill? There is a need to ensure the environment is tidy,” he added.
The commissioner highlighted the role of the mobile court in ensuring offenders are fairly prosecuted. He explained that fines collected from offenders go directly to the state treasury through the internal revenue service. “Nobody pays cash. We will inform the general public how much we realised from fines,” Fawu said.
Fawu also warned that next time, even customers at fuel stations may be arrested for breaking the sanitation law. He praised the improvement in compliance this month compared to previous months but noted that motorcycle riders were the main offenders.
For future sanitation days, Fawu announced that offenders will be provided with brooms and cutlasses to clean up as part of their punishment. “Next time, we will not stop at arresting them; offenders will be given brooms to sweep. No movement includes trekking, and we will ensure compliance,” he said.
