In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, about 49 persons were arrested and prosecuted at the weekend during the monthly sanitation for allegedly failing to observe sanitation laws put in place by the state government.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Hon. Samuel Bamisaiye, told reporters Sunday in Ilorin that it was disturbing that some people have continued to fail to participate in the monthly environmental sanitation, especially the youths of Zango area of the state capital.

According to him, "a defaulter of the sanitation law beat up a police officer and tore his uniform in the officer's bid to arrest him for non-compliance with the sanitation law."

He said a mobile court had been established to try offenders and to ensure that such incidents would not occur again in subsequent exercises.

Bamisaiye added that the government was committed to good environment for the citizenry and would not condone any attitude that would hinder the monthly sanitation exercise in the state.

In his remark, one of the sanitation officials, Mr. Raphael Adedayo Odeyemi, said the judge of the mobile court only managed to escape during the fight between the youth and the police officer.

Odeyemi, who commended the security personnel effort in saving the situation from escalating, also noted that the police and the arrested offender had been taken to Zango Police Station.

Director of Environment in the ministry, Alhaji Sikiru Olanipekun, thanked the police, other security agencies and stakeholders for ensuring the success of the exercise.

THISDAY checks revealed that there was appreciable level of compliance of people during the sanitation exercise in some areas which include Oloje, Alfa Yahaya, Gerin Alimi, Gambari, Ita Ajia and Ipata market areas of the state capital.

Three new courts were constituted to speed up the trial of possible offenders during the exercise. The new courts will focus on offenders from Tipper Garage, Tanke, Gerin Alimi and Zango to ensure effectiveness and full participation in the exercise.