A warder of the Nigerian Prison Service, Named Ahmed, alongside some members of 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.
Reports says that the hoodlums, who were roaming about Along the Brewery/Akin Olugbade/Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, which is against the rule of the three-hour exercise, this hoodlums were stopped by the Environmental Task Force for contravening the law.
The task force, comprising officials of different security agencies in Ogun 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 hoodlums infuriated and prompted them to pounce on Ahmed who is one of the member of the environmental task force which leads 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, “Not less 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 contradicting the laws by the environmental mobile courts.
She said the ministry would continue to prosecute those who contradict 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 Ogun state.