The Ogun State Government has said that seven factories involved in lead-acid battery recycling in the Ogijo axis of the state have been shut down over possible lead poisoning.
This was disclosed in a statement shared on the Ogun State Government’s official X handle on Friday, noting that an immediate, temporary suspension of lead ingot exportation had commenced pending a full investigation into alleged lead contamination in an area located in Sagamu Local Government.
The statement read, “This position followed an on-the-spot inspection in Ogijo after a viral video raised concerns about possible lead poisoning in the community. The Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, led a combined team of experts from the Ministries of Environment and Health, the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.
“During the visit, the government ordered the closure of seven industries involved in Used Lead-Acid Battery recycling within the Ogijo axis. Oresanya assured residents that there is no cause for panic, noting that the state will immediately commence a comprehensive Health and Process Audit of the affected facilities.
“This will include testing for lead levels in humans, soil, air, and water sources across the industrial community. He added that the government will make the findings public once the investigation is completed, while also reviewing the methodology used in the earlier test results circulated in the media.”
On Tuesday, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government also shut down two factories in the state for what it described as grave violations of Occupational Safety and Health standards.
The affected companies—True Metals Nigeria Limited and Phoenix Steel Mills Limited—are situated along the Ikorodu–Sagamu industrial corridor.
According to a statement, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, ordered the closure on Monday during an unscheduled inspection visit to the facilities
