One hundred and nine people were arrested on Saturday in Umuahia, Abia State, for loitering, playing football in the street and trading during the environmental sanitation hours of 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
According to the record of the Abia State Ministry of Environment, the defaulters were selected by teams of the government Task Force and brought before the Environmental Mobile Court of the Umuahia High Court, presided over by Onyinyechi Ibekwe, a magistrate.
Three medical students who were among those detained were released by the court after identifying themselves, while twelve other offenders were also released due to their health conditions.
However, ninety-four persons who were prosecuted by the mobile court were asked to pay fines and perform community service for contravening the basic environmental laws of Abia State.
Speaking to newsmen after the environmental exercise, the Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, commended the residents for cleaning up their environment.
The commissioner, represented by the head of the Environmental Health and Pollution Control Department of the Ministry of Environment, Happiness Agbụlọnụ, however noted the refusal of traders at the Orie Ugba market in Umuahia to obey government directives.
He also noted that motor parks such as Okigwe Park and Owerri Park, among others, did not comply with the government directive as they were observed to receive passengers during health hours.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Abia State House of Assembly Environment Committee, Kalụ Mba Nwoke, said violators of government environmental laws will face tougher penalties from March 2026.