The Lagos State government yesterday shut down the Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege over unsanitary practices, waste mismanagement, and unhygienic handling of animal products.
The closure directive was issued by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, following an extensive inspection of the facility alongside members of the media. He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture had petitioned his office to intervene in addressing various environmental and health violations at the abattoir.
“What we witnessed at the abattoir today is heart-wrenching. The operators have defied regulations and chosen to take the law into their own hands, slaughtering animals and discharging waste into public drainage systems with impunity. This is totally unacceptable,” Wahab said.
He noted that during the inspection, it was discovered that operators were dumping animal waste into public drainage systems, with some waste being channelled to the “Harmony” section of the abattoir and into a nearby company, Forth-Walt Farm, on Wasiu Olaife Street.
Wahab stressed that the government would not tolerate environmental degradation and unhygienic practices, warning that abattoir operators must adhere to existing environmental laws. “There are laws guiding abattoir operations in the state. Wastewater and blood from meat processing must be treated and not discharged into public drains,” he said.
He added that the state government would take firm measures to ensure compliance, warning that the operators must fully meet legal requirements before the facility could reopen. “Until they fully comply with the provisions of the law, this will not be a one-off. We will return. If nothing is done about the current state of the abattoir, it is a catastrophe waiting to happen,” he said.
Wahab also cautioned abattoir operators against defying state regulations or resorting to tactics such as blackmail, urging them to comply with the minimum benchmarks for safe operations.
The enforcement operation at the abattoir in Oko-Oba will be a joint effort involving the Environment Ministry, Agriculture, LASEPA, LASWMO, and LAWMA. The Commissioner stated, “It is quite unfortunate that people do not like seeing the carrot until the big stick is wielded,” affirming that the government would maintain its stance.
The commissioner also visited Adetola Canal on Jonathan Coker Street in Iju, where some individuals had been vandalising the iron rods serving as reinforcement for the canal. He noted that the lining of the canal had just been awarded for construction to ensure effective discharge into the Oko-Oba canal.
“We have compelled the CDAs of this community to take ownership and protect the infrastructure because the government cannot provide and also police the infrastructure. This situation tells you how bad the intentions of some persons are,” he said.
He advised residents to pay for services provided by PSP waste operators and avoid patronising cart pushers and other illegal waste disposal methods.
The commissioner noted that the state government had continued prosecuting individuals caught indiscriminately disposing of waste in recent weeks. “The government will continue to do so in accordance with the law,” he said. The areas visited included Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege and Adetola Canal on Jonathan Coker Street, Fagba, Iju, in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Council .
The commissioner was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Mahamood Adegbite; the MD of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin; KAI Corps Marshal, Major Olatunbosun Cole (rtd); GM of Lagos State Waste Water Management Office (LSWMO), Adefemi Afolabi; and other directors from the ministry and its agencies.
