Residents of Iyana Ejigbo in Lagos State have expressed concern over the continued use of an unauthorised dumpsite in their neighbourhood, nearly two months after the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) promised to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

The development comes as LAWMA intensifies efforts to clear accumulated refuse across Oshodi, announcing on October 25 that it had evacuated the waste backlog in Afariogun Ward and handed the area over to its Private Sector Participation (PSP) operator for sustained collection.

The contrasting situations have raised concerns among residents of Iyana Ejigbo, where a pit stretching from Apata to Pastor Ojediran Street and adjoining streets has allegedly been used for waste disposal for months without official approval.

The Guardian reported the illegal dumping on September 11, 2026, prompting the newspaper to contact LAWMA.

The authority’s Director of Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, denied that the agency had approved the site and promised that appropriate action would be taken.

However, residents say the dumping has continued, with groups of men allegedly collecting money from waste operators to dispose of refuse at the site.

Some residents said the presence of LAWMA trucks dumping waste at the pit had initially led them to believe that the site was government-approved.

One resident, who requested anonymity for fear of being attacked, said the continued dumping had worsened the living conditions in the neighbourhood.

“We see LAWMA trucks at times dumping refuse in the pit. We thought the Lagos State Government had approved it,” the resident said.

The resident recalled that a man identified as Atiku had once visited the site with others and warned those present that dumping refuse there was wrong. He reportedly promised to meet with the chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Taoheed Adebayo Taiwo, but residents said they had heard nothing further from him.

According to the resident, some cart pushers disclosed that they paid money to people described as omonile and chiefs to gain access to the site.

“None of them live around here. They only come daily to collect money from the illegal truck operators and leave,” the resident alleged.

The resident further claimed that the council chairman had told residents that the state government directed local councils to identify available spaces for waste disposal because existing dumpsites across Lagos were full.

“We cannot question the government,” the resident said, adding that a school owner in the area had previously written to the authorities to protest the dumping, but no action appeared to have followed.

The environmental impact, the resident said, had become increasingly difficult to endure, particularly when heavy equipment was brought in to push down the refuse and create access for cart pushers.

“We have to lock every door and window because of the offensive odour whenever Caterpillar wheel loaders are brought in to push down refuse,” the resident said.

The Guardian made several attempts to obtain a response from the Ejigbo LCDA chairman between September and October, but he neither confirmed nor denied the allegation that the council had authorised the site.

Sanusi also did not respond to calls and text messages sent between September 14 and October 25.

Meanwhile, LAWMA said it had cleared the accumulated waste in Afariogun Ward during the second week of its waste evacuation intervention in Oshodi.

The exercise was jointly led by the authority’s Executive Director (Finance), Kunle Adebiyi, and the Director of Sanitation Services at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Hassan Sanuth, with personnel and equipment deployed across streets in the ward.

Following the clearance, LAWMA handed the area over to its PSP operator, Excellence Limited, to ensure regular waste collection and prevent another backlog.

The authority urged PSP operators to provide services to every household and commercial facility within their assigned areas, warning against selective collection. It also said enforcement measures would be applied against households and businesses that failed to comply with applicable waste management requirements.

LAWMA said the intervention would continue on a ward-by-ward basis, with Mafoluku scheduled as the next area of focus, followed by Ogunoloko, Ewu-Tuntun and Shogunle.

It also urged residents to settle outstanding waste collection bills at the old tariff while discussions continued among the Community Development Committee, the local government and the state government on a proposed tariff review.

The authority stressed that the Afariogun clearance must be sustained, urging residents and other stakeholders to support regular waste collection and maintain a clean environment.