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One hundred and nine persons were on Saturday arrested in Umuahia, Abia State for loitering, playing football on the street and for trading during the 7 am to 10 am environmental sanitation hours.
According to record from the Abia State Ministry of Environment, the defaulters were picked by government Task Force teams and brought to the Environmental Mobile Court at High Court, Umuahia Presided over by Onyinyechi Ibekwe, a Margistrate.
Three medical students who were among the arrested persons, were discharged by the Court after identifying themselves while twelve other defaulters were also released because of their health conditions.
However, ninety four persons who were prosecuted by the Mobile Court, were asked to pay fines and perform community services for contravening the Abia State Basic Environmental Laws.
Speaking to Journalists after the Environmental exercise, Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna commended residents for cleaning up their environment.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Head of Department Pollution Control and Environmental Health in the Ministry of Environment, Happiness Agbụlọnụ, however noted the refusal of traders in Orie Ugba market in Umuahia to obey government directives.
She also pointed out that motor parks like the Okigwe Park, Owerri park among others, fell short of the government’s directive, as they were observed taking in passengers during the sanitation hours.
Similarly, Chairman of the Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Kalụ Mba Nwoke said that defaulters of government environmental laws will face stiffer sactions from March, 2026.
