The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, has warned the general public against any form of harassment or attack on the Agency’s personnel, stressing that such dastardly acts would not be condoned by the State Government.
Odumboni gave the warning on Tuesday at the Ijora Head Office of the Agency after one of the highway workers was attacked with a hammer along Isolo Road, Isolo.
He said the victim, who was left with a broken skull, had to be admitted into intensive medical care.
His words: “One of our sweepers carrying out his lawful duty at Isolo was attacked with a hammer by one miscreant named, Alao Idris, resulting in a broken skull, which required immediate medical attention to save the victim’s life. The incident happened in the early hours when the person was going about his lawful duty of sweeping the street”.
“This sort of unprovoked attack will not deter us from rendering our services. However, we are sounding a note of warning to miscreants determined to undermine our efforts. The State Government will not tolerate these dastardly acts, as perpetrators will be brought to book”, Odumboni said.
While condemning the unwarranted attack, the Managing Director revealed that the suspect, Alao Idris, has since been arrested and handed over to the police for interrogation and prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others with similar intentions.
He appealed to the public to treat the highway workers kindly and refrain from attacking them under any guise, as anyone caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Odumboni also enjoined residents in the State to support and ensure that essential service providers like LAWMA are allowed to discharge their responsibilities effectively without any fear of harassment, molestation or attack, adding that ensuring cleanliness in the State is the collective responsibility of all residents.
He also admonished the populace to shun all forms of indiscriminate waste disposal with its attendant negative environmental consequences such as blockage of drainage channels during the rainy season, imploring members of the public to contact LAWMA’s toll-free lines: 07080601020 and 617, for all inquiries.