Environmental Police

Recently I read an article by a foremost writer in the Nigerian sphere, an environmentalist, who was talking about the need for the Nation to have an environmental police. Not only did I support the call for this, I want to use this medium to clearly state my concerns.


 National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is the body charged with taking care of our environmental needs, together with States environmental laws and agencies.

So far the degradation faced by most of our roads and street with waste is nothing but appalling. It has gotten so bad to the extent that nobody cares anymore. Refuse are dumped nonchalantly on our roads day in day out with nobody doing anything about it.

Using Lagos under Governor Ambode as an example, the situation has gotten worst. LAWMA and the public-private partnership have not yielded any tangible result. we are back to where we were under Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

I usually ply the Apapa-Oshodi expressway and I can tell you the place is a mess. There are no major market there, but if you see the huge dump of refuse left on the road, you will be shocked. And it is so in other places as well. The reason am using lagos is because of the advantage they possess as against other states. If they cannot get it right, I wonder who will.

People are no longer forming the habit of cleanliness anymore. it is no longer cool to be neat or arrange our refuse properly in this country Nigeria. This is one of the reason I support the call for environmental police.

If we can have them, we will be better for it. Seriously, the only thing a Nigerian respect is force and sanction backed by law. I know the Nigerian police is partnering with NESREA to help curb this menace but I don't think that will be enough. The police have so much on their plate to multi-task from their primary function. 

We need an independent environmental police to bring sanity on our streets again. One whose only task is to arrest offenders and make them stand persecution, fine or community work. It is already out of hand. Our environment is becoming too toxic because of this waste.

Federal and State Governments needs to do something fast. We cannot continue living like this. What kind of world are we leaving for our kids?  I weep anytime I see such dirty scenes.