Lagos Inaugurates Mobile Court For Environmental Offences

LAGOS, August 17, (THEWILL) - A special offenses mobile court for prosecution of violators of the state environmental law was on Friday installed by the Lagos State Government.

According to Mr. Tunji Bello, the state commissioner for environment, the move is a right one and in consonance with the resolve of governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to concentrate on law enforcement, beginning from next year.

“I feel this is a step in the right direction and a wake-up call for other zones to begin to establish such Court for prompt trials of violators of the law, “the commissioner said while inaugurating the court in the highbrow business district of Ikoyi.

“The recently signed traffic law has environmental components, which will take care of environmental offences. We need to restore sanity in Lagos State; other countries are making progress because there is law and order. We need to also equip our law enforcement officers and provide conducive environment for them to work.

Bello hinted that the state would commission more of such special offences courts to smoothen the dispensation of justice.

His words, “The government is determined to enlighten the people and not just to lure them into committing an offence.

“The foundation of all state is based on good law in good hands. Law cannot enforce itself; it has to be done by somebody. Things work in developed societies because everybody is under the law. [There’s] nothing like big man or ‘I’m highly connected.’ If you commit an offense, you are brought before the law for prosecution.”