A warder of the Nigerian Prison Service, simply identified as Ahmed, alongside other members of an environmental task force, was on Saturday beaten blue and black by some hoodlums for attempting to arrest them in Abeokuta during the monthly Ogun State environmental sanitation.
Withinnigeria reports that the hoodlums, who were roaming about against the rule of the three-hour exercise along the Brewery/Akin Olugbade/Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, were stopped by the Environmental Task Force for contravening the law.
The task force, comprising officials of different security agencies in the state, was said to have driven in a Black Maria and mobile court van to the place.
It was learnt that the attempt by the task force to apprehend the miscreants infuriated and prompted them to pounce on Ahmed, leading to a “street fight.”
A statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Yetunde Dina, and signed by the Information Officer of the ministry, Rotimi Oduniyi, said, “no fewer than 80 persons had been arrested for various infractions of the Environmental Laws of the state.”
Dina said the 80 persons were arrested in Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode after they were found guilty of contravening the laws by the environmental mobile courts.
She said the ministry would continue to prosecute those who contravene the laws, adding that it was mandatory for residents to clean their environment during the monthly sanitation.
She, however, commended many of the residents for complying with the laws, adding that their attitude had improved the environmental rating of the state.
