As you approach Pen Cinema in Agege, a bridge connecting the area to Iju, Ogba, Abule-Egba, and Iyana-Ipaja rises into view. Beneath the bridge, traders ply wares and the homeless linger.
Just across from the Total Energies station on Agunbiade street, piles of refuse line the elevated pavement dividing the main road. During repeated visits by Ikeja Record, a pattern emerged: the waste is usually cleared only to reappear again.
This past Monday, during one of our checks, we spotted a Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) truck clearing up the mess. One of the waste collectors said they pick up refuse from the area daily, although the timing often varies.
Still, the question remains: Who is dumping this refuse here and why hasn’t it stopped?
Traders deny involvement
The adhoc dumpsite sits just a few feet from the Agege Underbridge market by the rail tracks, but some traders deny any connection to the waste.
A bread seller who asked not to be named confirmed to Ikeja Record that LAWMA trucks come regularly to pick up the trash.
“People come here to dump waste but I’m not sure it’s the traders,” the breadseller said. “We have someone who cleans the market, and they take the refuse we gather at the end of the day.”
Another trader admitted that a few traders might be responsible but claimed that most of the refuse is dumped by LAWMA sweepers who clean the bridge and surrounding areas.
What residents say
Kasunmu street in Oke-Koto is the closest residential area to Pen Cinema. Other streets nearby include Agunbiade, Odutan, Ajebo, and Jinadu streets.
In an interview with Ikeja Record, the Chairman of Kasunmu CDA, Alhaji Lawal Saadu, said some residents dump their refuse under the bridge to avoid paying LAWMA fees.
“LAWMA charges about ₦250 to ₦300 per household, which is very affordable. But instead, some people prefer to pay ₦200 to Aboki [scavengers], who then secretly dump the refuse under the bridge or at Alfa Nla in Oke-Koto,” Alhaji Saadu said.
He explained that he had reported this to LAWMA officials multiple times, but no action had been taken.
“There was a time when offenders were arrested, but the government no longer deploy officials here,” the CDA Chairman said.
Alhaji Saadu also noted that LAWMA trucks now collect refuse from their CDA three to four times a month, a frequency he commended.
However, Mrs. Sadiat Amoje of Jinadu street disagreed, claiming that the traders are mostly to blame for the dumping.
“Yes, some residents do dump waste there, but they are very few,” Mrs. Amoje said. “The real culprits are scavengers and traders.”.
A senior market official at Agege Underbridge, who asked not to be named, dismissed that claim.
According to the official, the market has a designated waste collection point where the cleaner deposits all trash for LAWMA to collect.
“Maybe LAWMA can help us by assigning a security officer to catch and arrest whoever is dumping waste illegally,” the official said.
The Kasunmu residents association have expressed willingness to partner with the state to curb illegal dumping, if provided with bins and surveillance officers who can patrol the area and apprehend offenders.
Ikeja Record reached out to LAWMA via its official channels. An official acknowledged our inquiry. However, we were yet to receive a response by the time this report was filed.
The bigger picture
Indiscriminate dumping of waste is not unique to Agege. Across Lagos, similar hotspots exist where waste is routinely dumped by unidentified individuals or businesses.
In response, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources recently activated the LAWMA Waste Infractions Surveillance and Investigation Team, aimed at expanding enforcement across several parts of the state.
As a result of these intensified operations, a number of individuals have been apprehended for unlawful waste disposal practices.
