Residents Flee Ikorodu Community over Environmental Pollution

Segun James

Residents in Odogunyan, a community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, are fleeing following a foul smell emanating from steel production. According to reports, the plants are discharging untreated and harmful toxic waste water in the lagoon.

THISDAY gathered that students of the Odogunyan Senior and Junior Grammar Schools, located next door to the Ikorodu Industrial Estate, home to most of the steel plants, have not resumed due to the heaving smell around the plants.

Steel companies in the estate include Top Steel Nigeria Limited, Sun Flag Steel, Africa Steel, Real Infrastructure, Phoenix Steel, Metal Manufacturing Nigeria and Pulkit Alloy.

According to Alhaji Taofik Akeula, a resident in the area, waters from the community wells had been polluted from chemicals discharged into the soil by the company.

The waste water from the plants is reportedly toxic and contains some carcinogenic organic compounds, including cyanide and sulfide stand ammonia.

He lamented that even though they welcome the presence of the companies in their community as they provide job opportunities, “the problem is that they are doing so much damage to our health. We have had cause to complain to the state government about the situation.”

The spokeswoman for the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Bola Ajao, said she was unaware of any complaints from the community.

Ajao stated that complaints would immediately be looked into to safeguard the welfare of residents.

All efforts to get into any of the steel mills, mostly owned by Indians, were frustrated by security guards.