The Oyo State Environmental Task Force has arrested over 4,000 environmental offenders in the state.
Its Chairman, Francis Ojomo, made this known in statistics made available to journalists on Wednesday in Ibadan, the state capital.
Ojomo explained that some were committed to community service after trial while others paid fines.
He said, “Since the creation of the agency, over N30m has been paid as fines by various offenders into the coffers of the state government. We urge the public to obey the environmental laws of the state.
“This will sustain the healthiness and good neighbourliness in the society, as item 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations places a premium on sanitation and a sustainable environment. We do not need to attend any formal school to take care of our environment in our interest.
“This is not the first time we appeal to members of the public to obey our environmental laws so that we will have sustained peace and health in our society.”
Meanwhile, the state Environmental Protection Tribunal, on Wednesday, in Ibadan convicted five offenders.
The tribunal’s chairman, Jubreel Kareem, said the offenders were arrested during the monitoring in Ibadan.
He said two of the offenders, Olanrewaju Deola and Funmilayo Ayoola, were caught disposing of wastes illegally at unauthorized places and that they also failed to provide a standard refuse drum contrary to the state Environmental Laws, 2013.
The persons admitted to having committed the offenses and were convicted to three months of imprisonment or an option of fines of N5,000 and N2,500 each.
Another offender, Olabisi Olatunde, who was caught at Preboyes, around UI-Bodija dumping refuse on the median, pleaded guilty.
The tribunal, thereafter, fined her N7,500.
In the same vein, John Blessing and Ali Sumaiya were caught illegally displaying goods by the roadside at Mokola.
The tribunal ruled that this is against Section 2 Sub-section 14 of the state Waste Management Law of 2014 and thereafter fined them 2,500 each.
