Lagos

A 58-year-old man who embarked on 19 days of spiritual fasting has died.

The death of the yet-to-be-named man was confirmed by the Police Command in Lagos State.

Superintendent of Police Benjamin Hundeyin who serves as the spokesperson of the command on Tuesday, August 20, said the incident happened in Alagbado axis of Lagos State.

According to Hundeyin, the religious man died at about 6:00 am on Monday, August 19.

The Police spokesperson also stated that the younger brother of the deceased reported the incident at the Alagbado Police Division at about 7:00 pm on the same Monday.

From an account of the younger brother, the deceased died while allegedly undergoing 19 days of dry fasting.

“No foul play suspected, family demands to convey the corpse for burial,” the Lagos Command spokesperson said.

A tragic incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in the Papa Ajao area of Lagos State as a mosque collapsed during afternoon prayer, resulting in numerous casualties.

Reports indicate that many people lost their lives, while others sustained injuries.

Rescue efforts are underway, with authorities and emergency responders working tirelessly to extract victims from the rubble.

The exact number of casualties and individuals trapped beneath the debris is yet to be determined.

As the situation unfolds, further details will be provided soon.

The Lagos State Government has announced a ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam packs, popularly called ‘takeaways’, with “immediate effect.”

The state’s Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, which was posted on X by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kunle Adeshina, the use of these plastics has caused a menace in the environment.

It read, “Most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged up by Styrofoam and other plastics through its indiscriminate distribution and usage despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains with humongous amounts.

“The Commissioner added that the State Government cannot fold its hands and watch the continued desecration of its environment especially for a coastal city.”

The statement added that the Commissioner has directed the Lagos Waste Management Authority and the Kick Against Indiscipline to immediately commence the implementation of the ban.

It read, “He asked the two agencies to clamp down on all the production companies and distribution outlets for Styrofoam in the state to prevent further distribution.

“The Commissioner advised producers, distributors, and end-users of these styrofoam packs to take the ban seriously and find alternatives or risk heavy fines, and other penalties including sealing of their premises.”

Wahab advised consumers and residents to boycott styrofoam packs and single-use plastics and imbibe the practice of using reusable food containers and water bottles for their food and drinks.

The PUNCH reported in January 2023, that Lagos State had continued to battle the menace of plastic pollution despite the estimated $2 billion recycling industry in Nigeria

According to the report, Lagos State produces 870,000 tonnes of plastic garbage annually, and despite the government’s efforts to address the threat of plastic pollution and turn it into a profitable venture, the environmental concern just won’t go away.

In a September report, a non-governmental organisation, the Center for Earth Works, lamented the indiscriminate use and disposal of plastic materials by Nigerians and demanded an end to plastic pollution in the country.