The Ogun State Government has announced the closure of seven lead-acid battery recycling plants in the Ogijo area following concerns over possible lead contamination.
The decision was contained in a statement posted on the state government’s official X page on Friday, revealing that the government has also ordered an immediate and temporary suspension of lead ingot exports pending a full probe into reported environmental pollution in parts of Sagamu Local Government Area.
According to the statement, the action followed an emergency inspection in Ogijo after a viral video alleged lead poisoning in the community. The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, led the inspection team, which included specialists from the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
During the visit, the government sealed seven facilities operating used lead-acid battery recycling plants in the Ogijo axis. Oresanya urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the state had commenced a comprehensive health and environmental audit of the affected factories.
The audit, he explained, will involve testing for lead levels in residents, soil, air, and water sources across the industrial zone. He added that the state will make its findings public at the conclusion of the investigation and will also review the testing methods used in the earlier reports circulating online.
NewsBits recalls that on Tuesday, the Federal Government had also shut down two factories in the state over serious breaches of Occupational Safety and Health regulations.
