The Ogun State Government, through the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun and Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), Farouk Akintunde, has warned market leaders and traders in Ogun State that markets found dumping refuse illegally risk immediate closure.

The warning, issued on Sunday, 12 July 2026, followed growing concerns over mounting waste and signs of open defecation along sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Also read: Governor Sanwo-Olu begins illegal shanty removal on Lagos-Badagry expressway

The latest action came after government officials evacuated long-standing refuse dumps from the Farmers’ Market on Solu Road in Ifo and Mamu Market in Ifo and Ijebu North Local Government Areas.

The clean-up formed part of the state’s efforts to strengthen environmental sanitation and improve public health.

A visit to the Mowe, Ibafo and Magboro sections of the expressway revealed extensive heaps of decomposing refuse scattered across the road median and adjoining roadsides.

Human faeces were also visible in parts of the corridor, highlighting the persistence of open defecation despite repeated public sanitation campaigns.

Residents expressed frustration over the deteriorating environmental conditions. Kunle Olalekan, who lives in the area, blamed weak regulatory enforcement for the worsening situation.

“The Ogun State Government is to be blamed for this eyesore. When you pass through the Lagos section of this expressway, you won’t see anything like this, but here in Ogun, everywhere is littered with waste,” Olalekan said.

Another resident, Ugo Chukwu, urged authorities to intensify enforcement around markets operating along the expressway, arguing that traders were responsible for much of the illegally dumped refuse.

In response, Akintunde described indiscriminate waste disposal within market premises as a serious public health threat, warning that contaminated environments expose food items to harmful bacteria and increase the risk of food poisoning and other preventable diseases.

“Markets should operate in a clean environment with proper waste management and not become havens for illegal waste dumps because they are public places where we all buy what we consume,” Akintunde said.

The official directed market leaders to ensure traders dispose of refuse only through government-approved waste collectors and designated collection points.

Akintunde warned that any market returning to illegal dumping would face closure in the interest of protecting public health.

Environmental sanitation has remained a major challenge in several rapidly expanding communities along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, particularly in Mowe, Ibafo and Magboro, where rapid population growth has increased pressure on waste management infrastructure.

Successive Ogun State administrations have introduced periodic clean-up exercises and enforcement measures, but illegal dumping and open defecation continue to pose significant environmental and health risks.

Also read: Governor Sanwo-Olu begins illegal shanty removal on Lagos-Badagry expressway

The renewed warning signals a tougher enforcement approach as the state seeks to improve sanitation standards and preserve one of Nigeria’s busiest transport corridors.