The Ogun State Government has ordered the shutdown of seven battery recycling plants in the Ogijo area of Sagamu over rising concerns of possible lead poisoning.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, announced the decision during an inspection visit to the community after a viral video raised fears about toxic contamination.
In a statement released on Friday, Oresanya said the government has also called for a temporary halt to lead ingot exports from the state while investigations continue.
He said he visited the area with experts from the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency to assess the situation firsthand.
Oresanya said, “The seven industries engaged in used lead-acid battery recycling in the community have been shut down.”
He assured residents that the state will carry out a full health and process audit on the affected facilities to understand the scale of the problem.
According to him, the exercise will include testing for lead levels in residents, soil, air, and water sources in and around the industrial zone.
“This will include testing for lead levels in humans, soil, air, and major water sources within and around the industrial town,” he said.
He explained that the findings will be made public and that the state will also review previous assessments mentioned in news reports to verify their accuracy.
