Lagos Defends KAI’s Action Against Actress Sarah Martins Over ‘Unauthorised Street Cooking’

The Lagos State Government has defended the actions of officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) successful their brushwood with Nollywood histrion Sarah Martins, describing the enforcement arsenic a lawful measurement against unauthorised activities connected nationalist infrastructure.

This clarification came connected Friday successful a connection issued by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, via his authoritative X (formerly Twitter) handle.

Wahab explained that Actress Martins was apprehended for engaging successful unauthorised activities connected a roadworthy median successful Lekki, noting that her actions contravened biology and sanitation regulations.

“Our enforcement actions, including the apprehension and removal of instrumentality successful this case, are portion of the #KeepLagosClean and #ZeroToleranceLagos campaigns aimed astatine preserving the city’s aesthetic and functional integrity,” Wahab said.

He added that portion the authorities authorities recognises and appreciates philanthropic gestures, specified activities indispensable adhere to established laws to guarantee nationalist information and support order.

“The idiosyncratic successful question claimed to beryllium conducting charitable cooking activities connected the roadworthy median, which unluckily contravened existing biology and sanitation regulations,” the commissioner stated.

“While the Lagos State Government profoundly appreciates the tone of philanthropy and assemblage enactment demonstrated by galore residents, specified initiatives indispensable beryllium carried retired successful compliance with the state’s extant laws to guarantee nationalist safety, biology protection, and municipality order,” helium added.

The connection followed wide outrage aft videos emerged connected societal media showing Martins, laminitis of the Golden Heart Foundation, crying and clutching her swollen hand, allegedly burned by blistery lipid during the enforcement.

The histrion had accused KAI officials of harassment, claiming she was stopped from distributing nutrient to radical connected the thoroughfare successful Lekki. The videos sparked mixed reactions, with immoderate Nigerians condemning what they described arsenic excessive force, portion others argued that the task unit was simply enforcing the law.

Wahab, however, stressed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s medication remains committed to maintaining a clean, sustainable, and livable city.

“Unauthorised usage of nationalist spaces, specified arsenic roadworthy medians, for commercialized oregon idiosyncratic activities poses important risks, including harm to infrastructure, wellness hazards, and disruption to postulation flow,” helium said.

The commissioner besides advised Lagos residents and organisations engaging successful charitable oregon nationalist activities to question support from applicable authorities.

“We impulse each residents and organisations progressive successful charitable endeavours to spouse with applicable agencies for guidance connected compliant practices. This collaborative attack volition assistance amplify the interaction of goodwill portion safeguarding our shared municipality spaces,” Wahab added.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant connected New Media to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, had connected Thursday confirmed that the KAI cognition was portion of the government’s broader effort to support Lagos cleanable and maintain urban order.