Lagos Government issues stern warning to Actress Sarah Martins over street cooking

The Lagos State Government has once again cautioned actress Sarah Martins, warning her to cease her charitable cooking activities on public roads, walkways, and medians across the state.

This latest warning comes just four months after authorities first apprehended her for a similar outreach program in the Admiralty area of Lekki Phase 1. In October 2023, officials from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI) detained the actress for conducting unauthorized activities on public infrastructure.

Despite existing regulations under the LAGESC/KAI law that prohibit street vending and cooking on roadsides, Martins posted a video to her Instagram account on Friday showing her preparing food on a Lagos street.

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In the video’s caption, she explained her return, stating, “I was missing the bond I share with my kids in the street, so I paid them a visit, and we made a sumptuous delicacy together.”

Official Response

Reacting to the actress’s continued defiance, the state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, addressed the issue on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Saturday. While acknowledging her charitable spirit, he emphasized that such actions violate state environmental and public order laws.

“Dear Sarah Martins,” Wahab wrote, “While we acknowledge and appreciate the spirit of charity and compassion behind what you are trying to do, carrying out such activities on public roads, walkways or medians is not permitted under Lagos environmental and public order regulations.”

He added, “Cooking or trading on public infrastructure poses safety, sanitation and traffic concerns. You were previously cautioned about this same issue last year due to the understanding of its philanthropic intention and pleas.”

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The commissioner urged Martins to conduct her charitable work through proper channels and in approved locations to avoid legal consequences.

“I would strongly advise that you desist from carrying out street cooking or similar activities in public spaces in Lagos to avoid apprehension and prosecution,” he concluded, reiterating that all residents must abide by state laws.

Previous Incident and Clarification

Following her initial arrest last year, Martins claimed that Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, had given her N20 million to support her charity. A video on her Instagram showed her receiving an envelope, with the presenter stating the funds were to help her secure a proper shop to continue her work safely.

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However, Seyi Tinubu later clarified that the funds were not from his personal account. “I have been informed that some friends of mine, moved by compassion, raised funds to support a young woman who had an encounter with the law over an environmental violation,” he wrote on his Instagram Story. “Their intention, I believe, was to help her secure a proper space to run her business, not to undermine the law.”

Sarah Martins, who began her acting career in 2004, has gained significant public recognition for her street cooking initiative. She is also known for her roles in films such as “The Widows,” “Dangerous Mad Man,” and “Feast of the Spirits.”