The Osun State Amotekun Corps has arrested more than 30 persons for allegedly violating the state’s environmental sanitation regulations by dumping refuse on roads, streets and inside drainage channels across Osogbo and its environs.

The arrests were made on Tuesday, October 6, during an enforcement operation carried out by operatives of the corps in collaboration with environmental sanitation authorities as part of the state government’s renewed campaign against indiscriminate waste disposal.

The development was disclosed by the Public Relations Officer of the Osun Amotekun Corps, CSA Yusuf Idowu Abass.

According to the corps, the suspects were apprehended for allegedly disposing of refuse at unauthorised locations, particularly along roads and in drainage channels, contrary to the environmental sanitation directives of the state government.

The arrested persons were subsequently handed over to environmental sanitation officials for further investigation and appropriate action in accordance with relevant environmental laws and regulations.

Speaking on the development, the Corps Commander, High Chief Dr. Hon. Adekunle Isaac Omoyele, said the enforcement was necessary to curb the persistent practice of indiscriminate waste disposal across the state.

Omoyele warned that dumping refuse in drainage channels could obstruct the free flow of water, increasing the risk of flooding, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. He added that indiscriminate dumping also contributes to environmental pollution, unhealthy living conditions and damage to public infrastructure.

He urged residents to desist from using roads, streets and drainage channels as dumping grounds and instead make use of designated waste collection arrangements provided by the state government.

The commander also appealed to residents, business owners, market operators and other stakeholders to cooperate with government officials by properly packaging their waste and handing it over to designated waste collectors.

The latest enforcement forms part of the broader environmental sanitation campaign of the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The state government had earlier inaugurated a Special Task Force on Environmental Sanitation, chaired by the Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina, with the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mayowa Adejoorin, as deputy chairman.

The task force was established to strengthen enforcement of environmental laws and tackle indiscriminate disposal of refuse on roadsides, drains, road medians and other locations capable of creating environmental hazards. The Osun Amotekun Corps Commander is also a member of the task force.

The government has intensified the campaign following concerns over blocked drainage systems and recent flooding in parts of the state. Governor Adeleke had urged residents to stop dumping refuse on waterways and roadsides, stressing that government interventions to address flooding could be undermined when drainage channels are obstructed by human activities.

The state government has also embarked on sensitisation programmes involving traditional rulers, market leaders, religious leaders and other stakeholders to encourage responsible waste disposal and compliance with environmental regulations.

The authorities have maintained that the enforcement is aimed not at punishing law-abiding residents but at protecting public health, preventing environmental hazards and ensuring a cleaner and safer Osun State.

The Amotekun Corps consequently warned that enforcement operations would continue and called on residents to comply with the state’s environmental sanitation regulations.

The development comes under the state government’s renewed campaign tagged “Operation Keep Osun State Clean,” with authorities urging residents to take collective responsibility for maintaining a clean and healthy environment.