The Ekiti State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, in partnership with the enforcement team of the Ekiti State Waste Management Authority (EKSWMA), has arrested a man captured in a viral video discharging foul-smelling liquid waste into a stream in the Bashiri area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
A statement from the State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, issued by the commissioner, Mrs Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, was made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.
According to the statement: “Following a swift action by the Ministry’s enforcement team, the perpetrator was apprehended, and his vehicle impounded.”
She said the suspect claimed during interrogation that he was discharging dirty water, not sewage, into the stream.
The commissioner announced that, in order to prevent any potential health hazards from the dumped waste, samples from the affected site had been taken for analysis of the chemical and microbiological content in the material discharged into the stream. She added that the entire area would be thoroughly fumigated to safeguard the health and well-being of residents.
She also stated that thorough investigations, involving officials from her ministry and the Ekiti State Waste Management Authority, were ongoing to prevent future occurrences and maintain a cleaner, safer environment in Ekiti State.
The commissioner, who emphasised that the state government has zero tolerance for illegal waste handling and disposal, stressed that the offender would soon be prosecuted.
“The law will take its full course. Acts like this endanger public health and the environment. We must protect our communities,” she said.
Aluko-Ajisafe urged residents to remain vigilant and report any acts of environmental violation to the appropriate authorities.
She encouraged the public to continue “blowing the whistle” on activities that threaten environmental safety.
