No fewer than sixty individuals were arraigned on Saturday, May 30, 2026, before the Environmental Sanitation Mobile Court in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, for violating laws governing the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
The offenders were apprehended by monitoring teams from the Ministry of Environment during enforcement operations across several parts of the city.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the exercise, the Commissioner for Environment, Obol Moses Osogi, represented by the Director of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Mr. Dien Ugumanim, commended residents for the high level of compliance recorded during the May edition of the sanitation exercise, describing it as satisfactory.
He noted that compliance levels have continued to improve with each exercise, with significant progress recorded across the state. The Commissioner cited the 8 Miles Market as a positive example, stating that the area—previously identified as a major violator—showed remarkable improvement, as traders and buyers complied with restrictions and actively participated in cleaning their surroundings.
However, he expressed concern over persistent non-compliance at Marian Market, where some traders disobeyed sanitation directives.
Presiding over the cases at the Mobile Court sitting in Mobil, Calabar, the Senior Magistrate charged the accused persons with failure to participate in the monthly environmental sanitation exercise—a violation under the Criminal Code of Cross River State Law (Cal. CI6, Vol. 3).
The court stated that offenders are liable, in the first instance, to three months’ imprisonment or, alternatively, a fine ranging from ₦3,000 to ₦10,000 each. While some of the offenders pleaded guilty, others pleaded not guilty, leading to further legal proceedings. Several defendants were discharged on health grounds or due to work exigencies.
In separate interviews, residents condemned non-compliance with environmental sanitation laws and urged the public to support government efforts aimed at maintaining a clean and healthy environment. Some offenders admitted violating the sanitation order and appealed for leniency, promising to comply with future exercises.
The sanitation exercise commenced at the Ministry of Environment headquarters and covered major areas within Calabar Municipality, including Marian Road, Ikot Ansa, Murtala Mohammed Highway, Ikot Eneobong Market, and adjoining communities, before concluding at the Mobile Court sitting in Mobil, Calabar.
The monitoring team comprised officials of the Ministry of Environment, security personnel, NGO representatives, media practitioners, and volunteers.
By Sylvia Okoi
