Lagos court jails three for assault on KAI officers
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
A Magistrate Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced three men for assaulting officials of the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), during an enforcement operation.
The defendants—Farouk Olori (25), Ogundare Oluwatobiloba (27), and Taoreed Alimi (20)—were arraigned before Magistrate Ariyo of the Special Offences Court on a three-count charge bordering on breach of peace, obstruction of lawful duty, and unlawful assault under the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The Corps Marshal of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Cole (retd.), disclosed this at the agency’s headquarters in Bolade-Oshodi.
According to him, the enforcement exercise followed complaints from residents over environmental infractions along Olowu Street in the Ipodo area, where illegal trading activities were said to be obstructing vehicular and pedestrian movement.
He explained that abatement notices were initially served to encourage voluntary compliance, but enforcement became necessary after the notices were ignored.
During the operation to remove obstructions and clear the area, three suspects were arrested following an attack on KAI operatives.
Cole said one of the officers sustained injuries during the incident and received prompt medical attention.
In her judgment, Magistrate Ariyo sentenced the first and third defendants to one week in custody with an option of community service, while the second defendant received a one-year jail term based on the evidence presented before the court.
Reacting to the ruling, the Corps Marshal described the judgment as a deterrent against acts of violence and obstruction of law enforcement officers.
He urged residents to comply with environmental regulations and avoid actions that could lead to prosecution.
Cole also reiterated that activities such as trading on road setbacks and other restricted areas, as well as open urination and defecation, remain prohibited under Lagos State environmental laws.
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