Kwara raises fines for environmental offenders to N50,000

The Kwara State Government has raised the fine imposed on environmental offenders to N50,000 has it continued with the clampdown on environmental law offenders across the state.

Offenders are also liable to a three-month jail sentence instead of a fine.

The offenders convicted last week between Tuesday and Friday were fined N20,000 or N10,000.

The enforcement drive by the state Ministry of Environment, according to credible sources, is now a 24-hour exercise as the state government vows to keep Ilorin, the state capital, clean and free of infectious diseases from indiscriminate dumping of refuse at wrong locations.

During a visit to the Ministry of Environment on Sunday, where the mobile court in charge of the trial of offenders is housed, relatives of the offenders were seen making frantic efforts to secure their bail.

Members of the 300-man enforcement team led by the state Commissioner for Environment are out 24 hours, even at midnight, arresting offenders of the new environmental law, all in a bid to ensure adherence to the new law.

Reports said medians and unauthorised locations are now being used as dumping areas by some residents of the state capital despite the new law.

Twenty-one offenders were on Thursday convicted for flouting the new environmental law, while over 40 persons have so far been sentenced since the enforcement commenced.