Canada returnee jailed for three months in Lagos after assaulting a sanitation officer who stopped him from crossing the Ojota expressway illegally

Canada returnee jailed for assaulting a Lagos State environmental officer during a pedestrian law enforcement operation has ignited renewed debate over public compliance with safety regulations.

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Morufudeen Idowu, a 52-year-old man who recently returned from Canada, was sentenced to three months imprisonment by a Magistrate Court in Oshodi after physically attacking an official of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, also known as KAI.

The incident occurred at Ojota, a known hotspot for pedestrian-related accidents on the expressway. Idowu, according to authorities, flouted Lagos State’s pedestrian crossing regulations by attempting to dash across the busy road rather than using the designated pedestrian bridge.

When approached by a KAI officer enforcing the law, Idowu reportedly resisted lawful arrest and proceeded to assault the official.

Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, confirmed the sentencing in a statement posted to his verified X handle.

He explained that the assault happened during a routine operation by KAI officers, who are tasked with discouraging illegal road crossing to reduce fatalities.

“Following the arrest of Mr Morufudeen Idowu, who assaulted one of our personnel and refused arrest while crossing the expressway at Ojota, he was arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting at Oshodi and sentenced to three months imprisonment,” Wahab stated.

The Ojota pedestrian bridge, where the incident unfolded, is regularly patrolled by LAGESC due to the volume of foot traffic and previous cases of road accidents involving jaywalking.

The government has repeatedly urged Lagos residents and visitors to comply with safety measures, warning that violators will face legal consequences.

This case reinforces the state’s zero-tolerance stance on attacks against public officers and its commitment to ensuring pedestrian safety.

The sentencing is expected to serve as a deterrent to others who might resist enforcement of public safety laws or engage in violence against government workers.

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Idowu’s conviction has also triggered discussion around the behaviour of Nigerians returning from abroad, some of whom are accused of defying local rules despite having lived in countries with strict law enforcement cultures.