A total of 32 persons have been fine N50,000 each by the Oyo State Tribunal on Environmental Sanitation for violating the state’s environmental sanitation laws.
The 32 persons were prosecuted for indiscriminately dumping sachet water nylons, refuse, and other waste materials at road medians and unathorised places.
The tribunal judge, Olumide Abifarin, disclosed this during a hearing held at the Ministry of Environment, and Natural Resources in Ibadan, the state capital.
According to Abifarin, environmental officials arrested the offenders in March and they were subsequently charged with three offenses bordering on illegal waste dumping, failure to register with accredited waste collectors; and failure to provide waste bins.
The tribunal judge held that dumping refuse in unauthorised locations is punishable under Section 74(a) and 97 of the state’s Environmental Sanitation and Waste Control Regulations 2013.
He said, “It is a legal requirement for all households and commercial establishments to own a waste bin and patronise an accredited waste collector.”
The defendants pleaded guilty and admitted that their actions were unlawful, requesting the court’s leniency.
In his ruling, Abifarin stressed that Oyo State can achieve cleanliness comparable to Rwanda, known as one of the world’s cleanest countries.
He reminded residents that all homes, offices, religious centres, and commercial spaces must have proper waste disposal systems and must register with licensed waste collectors.
The judge emphasised that dumping refuse in drains, rivers, roadsides, and medians, as well as burning waste and obstructing environmental officials, are punishable offenses.
However, he showed leniency by waiving penalties for the second and third charges, imposing only the ₦50,000 fine for illegal waste disposal.
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