The Ogun State Government has shut down African Refractory and Allied Products Limited (ARAP) in Ogijo following allegations in a viral video that a former employee contracted an infectious disease while working at the company.

ARAP is engaged in crushing quartz stones into fine powder used for lining furnaces in steel companies.

In the video, the former employee, Bartholomew Aniemeka, alleged that he contracted silicosis, a lung disease linked to prolonged inhalation of silica dust, during his employment with the firm before leaving in June 2025.

Acting on the allegation, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, visited the facility alongside officials of the ministry and the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency. The company was subsequently shut pending the outcome of an investigation into the claim.

Oresanya assured residents that the government was handling the matter and would cover the cost of Aniemeka’s medical treatment. He said the former worker is in stable condition at TopMed Hospital, Ogijo.

The commissioner also assured the victim’s sister, who spoke in the viral video, that the government would ensure proper medical care, including a series of tests to ascertain his health status.

He added that the state would take all necessary steps to resolve the matter conclusively.