NAN-AE-6
Arrests
By Vivian Emoni
Abuja, March 30, 2017 (NAN) Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) arrested 33,327 persons and secured the conviction of 4,406 persons for violating environmental laws between 2012 and 2016.
Mr Muktar Ibrahim, Head of Information and Outreach Unit of AEPB disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
The information officer, however, said that the exact figure of persons who were arrested in 2013 could not be made available because of some factors.
Ibrahim said that the board had been educating FCT residents on the dangers of street hawking as well as other environmental violations.
He said that the board had collaborated with the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) of FCT Administration (FCTA) to effect the arrests.
He said that the number of prostitutes arrested within the period under review was 231, while 3,501 beggars and destitute persons were also arrested.
Ibrahim said that 23,949 street traders and 1,240 underage persons were arrested, while 4,406 persons were sentenced for various offences.
“The board does not just arrest people anyhow; we always warn people not to do their businesses around the city centre in the FCT.
“They should carry on their business outside the city centre; nobody will arrest them or disturb them if they can obey simple instructions.
“We have warned them severally but they don’t want to obey; it is very wrong seeing people hawking around the city centre of the FCT.
“Such attitude does not present a good image of our federal capital city; it is an eye-sore and we should put an end to it.
“When the AEPB official team arrest destitute persons, they are always handed over to SDS for rehabilitation at its centre.
“For the street hawkers, when we arrest them we take them to FCT mobile court where they are prosecuted.
“We don’t sentence the minors; rather we advise them not to do such business around the city centre; we also let them know the implications of what they are doing.
“The board also arrests the prostitutes because they constitute a nuisance to the environment and they are also giving the federal capital a bad name.
“We always advise them to look for a better job that will protect their image and that of their entire families.’’
Ibrahim expressed worry over the recalcitrant attitude of hawkers, beggars and other environmental law offenders.
He advised FCT residents to always abide by the environmental rules and regulations so as to avoid any kind of embarrassment.
Ibrahim said that a major challenge facing the board was its inability to control the activities of street traders, adding that this was one of the weak points of the AEPB Act of 1997.
He underscored the need to review the Act so as to enable the board to achieve its mandate effectively. (NAN)
VOE/MO/OOK
==========
Edited by Morayo Omolade and Dayo Komolafe