No fewer than 60 residents were convicted by the Cross River State Mobile Sanitation Court during the May environmental sanitation exercise in Calabar for breaching sanitation regulations.
The court, which sat within the Calabar metropolis, found the offenders guilty of various environmental offences. However, three defendants were discharged after presenting valid reasons related to health challenges and work obligations, while three vehicle owners received stiffer penalties.
The convicted offenders were ordered to pay fines ranging from ₦3,000 to ₦15,000 or face possible detention at the Calabar Correctional Centre.
Speaking on the proceedings, the Senior Magistrate presiding over the mobile court explained that the offenders were prosecuted under the relevant provisions of the Cross River State Criminal Code governing environmental sanitation.
According to the magistrate, the law prescribes a three-month jail term for sanitation offenders, although courts may offer the option of fines depending on the circumstances of each case.
Reacting to the exercise, the Commissioner for Environment, Obol Moses Osogi, expressed satisfaction with the level of public compliance recorded during the monthly cleanup exercise. Represented by the Director of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Mr Dien Ugumanim, the commissioner noted that adherence to sanitation regulations has continued to improve across the state.
He particularly commended traders and residents at Eight Miles Market for their cooperation, noting that the market, previously identified as a sanitation compliance challenge, showed significant improvement as participants observed movement restrictions and cleaned their surroundings.
The commissioner, however, expressed concern over continued violations at Marian Market, where some traders reportedly ignored sanitation directives.
Residents who spoke during the exercise condemned acts of non-compliance and urged the public to support government efforts aimed at maintaining a cleaner and healthier environment.
Some of the offenders admitted their wrongdoing and appealed for leniency, assuring authorities that they would comply with future sanitation exercises.
The monitoring team, which commenced operations from the Ministry of Environment headquarters in Calabar, inspected several locations including Marian Road, Ikot Ansa, Murtala Mohammed Highway, Ikot Eneobong Market and neighbouring communities before concluding the exercise at the Mobile Court in the Mobil area.