The Ogun State Government in Nigeria has sealed five Chinese-owned companies and arrested several staff members, following violent clashes that injured law enforcement and environmental officers attempting to enforce waste management regulations.

The affected firms—DL Plastics Limited, Dyschenghan Plastics, SH Agricultural Limited, Beautiful Fibre Limited, and Jincaicai Nigeria Limited—all situated along the Ogere axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, were targeted after months of ignored warnings over environmental infractions, including improper waste disposal, open burning, and failure to hire approved collectors.

Abayomi Hunye, Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Environment and Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), detailed the escalation in a statement.

Hunye explained that despite six months of letters, invitations, and site visits, the companies defied orders. Notices to seal were posted on gates for over three months, but on September 12, officials found chains broken and seals removed.

A return enforcement team, backed by police, faced a mob attack from mobilized workers who inflicted bodily harm, hospitalizing victims and halting operations. "This is barbaric—a show of contempt for state authority," Hunye decried, vowing prosecutions under the Ogun State Waste Management Law 2020, Section 17, which mandates proper disposal and accredited services.

Similar closures hit two Chinese plastics companies in September 2024 for waste littering, and Quantum Steel and Xinfeng Plastics in March 2025 after fatal accidents. Hunye warned against using "investment" as a shield for violations, reaffirming the government's resolve to protect communities from pollution risks like groundwater contamination and air quality degradation.