The Lagos State Government has issued a renewed warning to Nollywood actress Sarah Martins against conducting charity cooking activities on public roads, walkways, or medians within the state. This caution comes just four months after authorities previously apprehended her for a similar outreach programme in the Admiralty area of Lekki Phase 1 in October of the previous year. Officials from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI) had then apprehended the actress for engaging in unauthorised activities on public infrastructure, a violation of Objective Four of the LAGESC/KAI law, which prohibits cooking or selling food on roads and sidewalks.

Despite previous warnings, Ms. Martins recently posted a video on her Instagram page showing herself cooking what she described as “sumptuous delicacies” on a Lagos street. In the video's caption, she expressed missing the bond she shared with children on the streets and her decision to 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.”

Reacting to the actress's latest activity, Tokunbo Wahab, the state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, publicly addressed the issue on his X page. While acknowledging and appreciating Ms. Martins' spirit of charity and compassion, Mr. Wahab firmly stated that such activities on public roads, walkways, or medians are not permitted under Lagos environmental and public order regulations. He emphasised that cooking or trading on public infrastructure poses significant safety, sanitation, and traffic concerns.

Commissioner Wahab reiterated that Ms. Martins had been cautioned about this very issue last year, but leniency was shown due to the philanthropic intention behind her actions. He strongly advised her to desist from street cooking or similar activities in public spaces to avoid apprehension and prosecution. Furthermore, he urged the actress to channel any future charitable outreach through proper channels and at approved locations, ensuring her efforts support vulnerable people without violating existing laws or constituting an environmental nuisance. He concluded by stressing the importance of all Lagosians abiding by state laws, akin to any well-regulated city.

In her defence against the Commissioner's latest warning, Sarah Martins clarified that she never cooked on the road itself but rather in front of the King's palace in Ajah, asserting that she did not constitute a nuisance as described by the Commissioner.

A notable backstory to Ms. Martins' charitable efforts involves a previous incident where she claimed Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, provided her with N20 million to support her initiative after her prior arrest. A video posted on her Instagram showed a woman presenting an envelope purportedly containing the funds, with Ms. Martins explaining that Mr. Tinubu admired her humanitarian work and encouraged her to secure a proper shop, promising to equip it. However, Seyi Tinubu later clarified via his Instagram Story that the funds were raised by