Ogun Assembly orders arrest of company boss over environmental damage

By Adejoke Adeleye

The Ogun State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate arrest of the Managing Director of Ojibas Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Tajudeen Abioye, for allegedly causing extensive environmental degradation in parts of the state.

Lawmakers directed the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, to ensure Alhaji Abioye’s arrest and appearance before the Assembly’s Committee on Environment to answer allegations that his company’s mining activities have posed serious threats to lives and livelihoods in the Elegan Progressive Community, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area.

The resolution followed the adoption of a report by the Committee on Environment, which said that the company’s operations had led to massive environmental destruction, including the damage of roads, contamination of water sources, and loss of farmlands.

During plenary, Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide invoked the powers of the legislature under Section 129(1)(d) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), authorising the police to execute the warrant of arrest and produce the company’s managing director before the House without delay.

The Speaker noted that the decision became necessary after Alhaji Abioye repeatedly ignored several invitations from the Assembly to appear before its Committee on Environment to defend himself against the allegations.

Elemide reaffirmed the House’s commitment to accountability, environmental justice, and the rule of law, stressing that the legislature would not tolerate acts that endanger citizens’ lives or undermine its authority.

“No one is above the law. The Ogun State House of Assembly will continue to stand for justice and defend the rights of the people. We are determined to hold anyone accountable, no matter how highly placed, for actions that destroy our environment or threaten human lives,” Elemide declared.

Meanwhile, residents of the Elegan Progressive Community, led by Pastor Samuel Fadeyinoluwa, staged a peaceful protest to the Assembly complex, demanding urgent government intervention to halt the alleged environmental degradation caused by Ojibas Nigeria Limited.

The protesters, drawn from affected communities such as Abisodun, Adeolu, Oke-Odo, Oluwo Osin, Aiyetoro, Age, Ajerogun, and Bisodun,  lamented that illegal mining had devastated their farmlands, polluted their water sources, and destroyed local infrastructure.

Addressing the demonstrators, Speaker Elemide assured them that the Assembly, through its Committee on Environment, had already initiated full legislative action to ensure justice and environmental restoration in the affected areas.