A Mobile Court in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has sentenced 29 persons to one month imprisonment each for violating the environmental law of Ekiti State.
They were sentenced for roaming about and transacting businesses at locations during last weekend’s environmental sanitation exercise.
Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi, who monitored the exercise in Ado-Ekiti, decried the non-challant attitude of residents to their civic duty of keeping their surroundings clean.
Egbeyemi, who monitored the exercise alongside Head of Service Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi and Chairman Ado-Ekiti Local Government Mr. Olufemi Bamisile, advised the people to maintain a hygienic environment, to avoid outbreak of epidemic.
Those selling local gins, bean cakes among other goods during the sanitation were arrested on the instruction of the deputy governor.
At the court presided over by Magistrate T. A. Abe, 29 offenders, who were convicted, were sentenced to one month imprisonment each.
The offenders, who are mostly commercial motorcyclists, were given an option of N3,000 fine each, while one of the accused persons was discharged and acquitted.
Addressing reporters, the Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation, Mr. Tunde Balogun, said the violators were apprehended in Ado-Ekiti.
Balogun, who expressed displeasure at the level of residents’ compliance to sanitation, called for a change of attitude.
Other areas where the deputy governor monitored the exercise were Odo Ado, Ureje, Idolofin, Oke-Ila/Housing and Faelgan/NTA Road.
