Nine individuals have been arrested by the Oyo State Environmental Task Force for illegally dumping waste on road medians in parts of Ibadan. The arrests followed early morning and overnight enforcement operations carried out by Environmental Health Officers of the Ministry of Environment. The offenders were fined and sentenced to community service as part of the penalties for the offense committed.
The offenders were apprehended at the Akala Expressway and the Leventis axis of the city during routine surveillance aimed at curbing environmental abuse and promoting public sanitation.
Speaking with journalists after the operation, a Director in the Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Areo, said the state government would not hesitate to clamp down on individuals who deliberately deface the environment through unlawful waste disposal. She stressed that enforcement activities would be intensified to safeguard public health and preserve the aesthetics of the state.
Mrs. Areo urged residents to shun indiscriminate dumping of refuse and make use of approved waste collection and disposal channels, reminding the public that maintaining a clean and healthy environment is a collective responsibility.