A Mobile Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa state on Saturday, shut down Lafia mass transit motor park for violating environmental sanitation laws.
The court also directed operators of an illegal motor park, along the road leading to the palace of the Emir of Lafia to vacate within two weeks.
Addressing the court, the prosecutor, Abubakar Mohammed, said that officials of the branch of the Union of Mass Transit and those of the illegal park were operating during the period stipulated for the observance of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state.
Muhammed said that the offences violated Section 9(2), of the state Environmental Sanitation Laws, and urged the court to sanction the offenders accordingly, to serve as deterrent to others
After listening to the submission of the prosecutor, the Judge, Shittu Umar, convicted Hashimu Jada, Financial Secretary of the mass transit motor park and Maji Musa, leader of the operators of the illegal motor park.
The court sentenced them to six months in prison with option of fines of N20, 000 and N50, 000 respectively.
The court also prosecuted 27 other violators to various jail terms with option of fines.
Meanwhile, Musa Ibrahim, the state Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, led an inspection team round the state capital to monitor compliance by residents.
Ibrahim told newsmen that the ministry had intensified monitoring to ensure that residents improved environmental hygiene.
He urged the public to always keep their environment clean to guard against diseases.
Newsmen report that the last Saturday of every month is set aside for environmental sanitation in the state.
