Enforcement teams from the Nasarawa Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources have arrested 106 persons for allegedly violating environmental sanitation laws across the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Yakubu Kwanta, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, made the disclosure at a news conference on Saturday at Akwanga LGA immediately after the September sanitation exercise.

According to him, 31 persons were arrested in Akwanga, 21 in Lafia, 29 in Karu, four in Nassarawa-Eggon, six in Awe, five in Kokona, seven in Keffi, and three in Obi LGAs, respectively.

The last Saturday of every month had been set aside for sanitation exercises in the state by the state government.

The commissioner said the offenders who were arrested for transacting their private businesses while the sanitation exercise was in progress violated the provisions of Section 9(2) of the State Environmental Sanitation Law.

He explained that the offenders were prosecuted by mobile courts in the local council to serve as a deterrent to others.

Mr Kwanta expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by the residents of the state, adding that shops and business environments were temporarily closed during the period of the exercise.

“We only allowed those with permission from relevant authorities and those on essential services to pass and move around during the exercise,” he added.

The commissioner further said that the ministry was going to collaborate more with traditional rulers and chairmen of LGAs to strengthen enforcement in subsequent exercises.

Mr Kwanta called on members of the public to always keep their environment clean to guard against outbreaks of diseases.

“Residents should cooperate more with the government toward ensuring that the state is clean in their best interest.

“If the environment is kept clean, it will guard against a possible outbreak of any disease, thereby ensuring improved healthy living for the people,” he added.

The commissioner noted that the ministry had issued notices to residents to clear drainages around their homes and business premises in order to avert flooding.

(NAN)