The Ogun State government has sealed off five Chinese-owned companies and arrested some of their officials following allegations of assault on state and law enforcement officers during an enforcement exercise.
The affected firms, located along the Ogere axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, include DL Plastics, Dyschenghan Plastics, SH Agricultural, Beautiful Fibre, and Jincaicai Nigeria.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment and Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), Abayomi Hunye, said the companies had persistently flouted environmental regulations.
According to him, infractions included improper waste disposal, indiscriminate burning of waste, and refusal to patronise government-accredited waste collectors.
Months of Defiance
“We have been on this case for over six months. We sent letters, invited them for meetings, and even visited their premises several times, but they refused to cooperate or allow our officials in,” Hunye said.
Last Thursday, government officials sealed the companies by locking their gates. However, Hunye revealed that the firms not only removed the official seals but also broke the government chains.
Assault on Officials
“When our team, accompanied by law enforcement officers, returned to enforce compliance, the workers attacked them. Several officials were assaulted, mobbed, and rushed to the hospital with serious injuries,” Hunye recounted.
He condemned the attack as “barbaric,” stressing that the firms had become both an environmental nuisance and a threat to lawful governance.
Government’s Warning
“What is even more appalling,” Hunye added, “is that these companies, after constituting themselves into an environmental menace, had the audacity to inflict bodily harm on government and law enforcement officers. This is unacceptable and carries grave consequences.”
The Special Adviser warned that the state government would not tolerate foreign firms hiding under the guise of investment to flout Nigerian laws.
“We will not fold our arms. Any company or individual caught assaulting officials or undermining the law will be prosecuted in line with Nigerian law,” he declared.
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