Court Remands 2 Scrap Dealers Over Alleged Pollution, Assault in Akwa Ibom
A Sanitation Court in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, has remanded two scrap metal dealers in prison custody following their arraignment on charges related to environmental pollution and assault on officials of the state’s sanitation task force.
The two accused individuals, Muda Abdulahi and Usani Sani, were charged with indiscriminate waste dumping and attempting to assault officials from the Ibom Community Watch (ICW), which is attached to the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA).
The case stems from an incident where the defendants were apprehended by the enforcement team while engaging in illegal waste dumping along Ring Road 3 in Uyo. The actions of the suspects were described as damaging to the environment and undermining the state government’s efforts to maintain cleanliness.
A mild drama unfolded in the courtroom when the charges were read aloud. The defendants, claiming they did not understand English, refused to respond to the charges. In response, the presiding Magistrate, Senior Magistrate Amanda Effiom, referred to a provision in the Criminal Justice Law (CJL), which stipulates that silence after charges are read would be interpreted as a plea of “not guilty.”
The prosecution’s first witness, an Environmental Marshal, provided testimony detailing the events that led to the suspects’ arrest. The marshal recounted how three scrap metal collectors were caught improperly dumping waste. When the marshal approached them to issue a caution, the defendants became hostile, attempting to stab him with scissors. The marshal, however, was able to overpower them and call for police intervention, leading to the arrest of the two suspects.
Following the proceedings, Magistrate Effiom granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N200,000 each. The case has been adjourned to January 29, 2025, for further hearings.
The Akwa Ibom State Government, through the AKSEPWMA, has been at the forefront of environmental awareness campaigns over the past six years. The government has consistently urged residents to adhere to the 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. window for waste disposal at designated dump sites. The government has also issued strict warnings against unlawful refuse dumping, emphasizing the public health and environmental risks associated with such actions.
