Ogun Halts Lead Exports as Toxic Scare Hits Ogijo Communities
The Ogun State Government has announced an immediate temporary ban on the export of lead ingots following rising concerns over possible environmental contamination and suspected lead poisoning in Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area.
The directive, issued on Friday after an emergency meeting between State Officials and Environmental Regulators, follows reports of unusual health complaints among residents living close to several metal-processing facilities. Community members had raised alarms earlier in the week, citing cases of persistent headaches, vomiting, and respiratory distress-symptoms commonly linked to lead exposure.
Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the suspension was necessary to allow a full-scale investigation into the activities of smelting and recycling plants operating around Ogijo. He noted that preliminary assessments by the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) showed “significant lapses” in waste-handling and emissions management across some facilities.
“Public Health takes absolute priority. We cannot allow materials suspected to be hazardous to continue leaving our borders when we have not verified the extent of Local contamination,” Oresanya stated. He confirmed that Government teams, in collaboration with federal environmental and public health Agencies, have begun soil, air, and water testing across the affected Communities to determine the severity of the pollution.
In addition to halting exports, the state Government ordered all metal-processing operators in the Ogijo axis to suspend production pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. Security Agencies have been deployed to enforce compliance and prevent the movement of any restricted or unverified materials.
Local residents have welcomed the Government’s intervention but insist that more decisive action is needed. Community leader Chief Adekunle Adebayo described the unfolding situation as “a ticking health time bomb,” warning that children and pregnant women in the area may already have been exposed to dangerous levels of lead.
Health experts caution that prolonged lead exposure can result in severe and irreversible complications, particularly in children-ranging from neurological damage and developmental delays to kidney problems and, in severe cases, death.
To mitigate further risks, the Ogun State Ministry of Health has set up temporary assessment centres to screen residents displaying symptoms of possible poisoning. Public hospitals and clinics in the a6rea have also been placed on high alert.
Officials say the export ban will remain in force until all facilities undergo a fresh environmental safety audit and the Government receives a comprehensive contamination report.
