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Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo State environmental task force, yesterday arrested 40 persons in Ibadan, the state capital, for indiscriminate dumping of refuse, failure to subscribe to approved waste collectors, and violation of restriction of movement of persons during sanitation hours.
The arrested persons were arraigned before environmental tribunals set up by the government to try offenders.
The task force, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Francis Ojomo, reportedly made the arrest in different parts of Ibadan, including Alakia and Bodija.
The tribunals, however, found the 40 persons guilty of the offences, and fined them depending on each offence. The minimum fine sentence was N2,500 and maximum was N10,000 per offence.
Ministry of Environment said those that could not meet up with the fine payment were taken to police stations and would probably be taken to the correctional centre.
Ojomo, however, told journalists that the state government was committed to environmental sustainability and would not relent in ensuring cleanliness because it has a ripple effect on the ecosystem.
Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Bashir Olanrewaju, assured the public that the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration was committed to acts that would ensure a safe public health.
