Twenty two residents of Owerri, the Imo state capital, were at the weekend handed various sentences by a mobile court for dumping refuse at unauthorized places and for carrying out unapproved activities at refuse dump sites.
Those sentenced include four women. They were among the twenty six arrested during a night patrol on Thursday, February 10, 2020 by a team made up of officials of the Imo State Orientation Agency and the personnel of the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp.
Giving out the sentences, which ranged from fines of various amounts to compulsory community service, the presiding magistrate, Mr. Obinna Njemanze, said the twenty two persons, who all pleaded guilty, contravened Section 26(C) of the Imo State Law No. 5 of 2020 governing the disposal of wastes in the state.
Those sentenced were: Chidiebube Ogu, Joe Ibrahim, Ossai Ujo, Sule Dauda, Jamiru Mohammed, Chigozie Ashirim and Aliyu Abdulahi. Others are, Armstrong Ijezie, Nora Uche, Sunday Amos, Michael Paul, Ogu Gift, Ogu Divine, Ibrahim Abdulahi, Awolu Umaru, Omi Chisom. Also sentenced are, Mba Uche, Shabiu Isak, Ubaidu Usman, Chukwudi Michael, Muktar Ashiru and Ebuka Onuegbulam.
Speaking to reporters after the court session, which was the second in the month of February, the Director-General of the Imo State Orientation Agency, Chief Ethelbert Okere, regretted that despite several appeals by the Agency through various forms of public enlightenment, residents of Owerri have continued to dump refuse at unauthorized places, particularly along the streets.
Okere vowed that the midnight raids “will continue on a daily basis until sanity is restored.”