A total of twelve (12) offenders have been arrested by the Environmental Response Rapid Squad during an enforcement exercise against environmental infractions in Ibadan.
According to reports, nine (9) of the offenders were apprehended for illegal dumping of refuse on the road median, two (2) for open defecation, while one (1) woman faced multiple charges, including obstruction of duty and damage to a government official’s phone.
The woman, who reportedly obstructed an Environmental Health Officer attached to the Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources during her arrest, was among those apprehended for indiscriminate waste disposal.
Delivering judgment yesterday, the presiding mobile court judge, Barrister Jubril, fined the nine offenders caught dumping refuse ₦40,000 each, while those arrested for open defecation were fined ₦5,000 each.
However, the woman who obstructed officials faced stiffer penalties ₦40,000 for illegal dumping, ₦30,000 for phone damage, and ₦50,000 for obstruction of duty — bringing her total fine to ₦120,000.
Barrister Jubril ordered that the woman should either pay the total fine of ₦120,000 or be remanded at Agodi until payment is made.
The arrest was carried out by the Environmental Response Rapid Squad, led by Environmental Health Officers from the Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, as part of the ongoing enforcement drive to maintain environmental sanity across the state.
According to the Oyo State Environmental Sanitation and Waste Management Regulation (2013) and the Environmental Health Officers (Registration, etc.) Act Cap E16 LFN 2004, it is an offense to obstruct government officials while performing lawful duties. Such acts attract severe penalties, including fines or imprisonment.
Residents are hereby warned to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, open defecation, and obstruction of environmental officers, as the state government remains committed to enforcing environmental laws to achieve a cleaner and safer Oyo State.
The Ministry further appealed to residents to embrace proper waste disposal methods and cooperate with authorized waste collectors and environmental enforcement teams to ensure a sustainable and healthy environment for all.
