Two people have died after a refuse dump collapsed on a building in Ikot Effanga, along Old Odukpani Road in Calabar, Cross River State.

The incident happened in the early hours of Friday, August 28, 2026. The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the deaths in a statement issued on Friday.

Two Occupants Die

Police officers responded to the scene after receiving a report of the collapse. They found that a large refuse dump had fallen onto a building reportedly located within a valley.

The police identified one of the victims as Nfon Imé, a male. The second victim was a woman whose identity remains unknown.

Both victims were inside the building when the refuse collapsed. Rescue efforts later recovered their bodies from the scene.

Police took the bodies to a mortuary, according to the statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah.

Police Begin Investigation

The police command has started investigating the incident. Officers are also assessing the site to understand what caused the refuse dump to collapse.

The command has not yet established the full circumstances that led to the deaths. It said investigators would provide more information after they verify the facts.

READ ALSO : Two Rescued After One-Storey Building Collapses in Kubwa, Abuja

Police also appealed to residents to remain calm. The command warned against speculation while the investigation continues.

Housing Safety Concerns

The incident raises concerns about the safety of buildings located near large waste dumps and other high-risk areas.

The location of a building plays an important role in housing safety. Developers and property owners need to consider the condition of the land before construction begins.

Valleys and other low-lying areas can present special challenges. Developers may need to assess the land, drainage and surrounding environment before putting up buildings.

Poor waste disposal can also create problems in urban areas. Large waste piles can block drainage channels and place extra pressure on nearby land and structures.

Importance of Proper Urban Planning

The Calabar incident also shows why proper urban planning matters to housing development.

Safe housing depends on more than the construction of a strong building. Authorities and developers must also consider land use, drainage, waste disposal and the wider environment.

Building approval and enforcement can help prevent development in unsuitable locations. Regular monitoring can also help authorities identify risks before they threaten residents.

However, the police have not blamed any individual, developer or agency for the incident. The investigation is still underway, and the cause of the collapse has yet to be fully established.

Investigation Continues

The Cross River State Police Command said it would release further details as investigators confirm more information about the incident.

The deaths at Ikot Effanga highlight the need for greater attention to housing safety, waste management and land-use planning. As the investigation continues, its findings may help explain what caused the refuse dump to collapse and whether any preventable risks contributed to the tragedy.

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to occupants of shanties, makeshift structures and illegal trading points along the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, warning that a massive demolition exercise will commence next week.

The governor announced the directive on Saturday after leading the monthly environmental sanitation exercise alongside his wife, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, across communities in Surulere Local Government Area.

Speaking with journalists after the exercise, Sanwo-Olu said the state government would deploy enforcement teams to clear all illegal structures along the corridor, stretching from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko.

“This is the final notice to everyone occupying the median of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. From next week, we are coming to clear the entire median. Everything there will go. Every illegal structure will be removed,” the governor said.

He stressed that the highway median was not designated for markets or residential structures, noting that the government would protect the corridor considering the huge public investment committed to the road project.

“It is a 10-lane highway built with taxpayers’ money. We will not allow anyone to turn an international gateway into a slum. We are deploying thousands of personnel to ensure compliance,” he added.

Sanwo-Olu also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve waste management across the state, disclosing that the government would soon add 150 compactors to its waste collection fleet while deploying waste tricycles to underserved communities.

According to him, the state is investing in long-term waste management infrastructure, including a modern material recovery and recycling facility expected to process about 4,250 metric tonnes of waste daily.

The governor urged residents to support government initiatives by disposing of waste responsibly and paying waste collection bills promptly.

“Waste management is not the responsibility of government alone. Residents must also play their part by paying for waste collection services to enable operators provide efficient services,” he said.

He further encouraged parents to involve their children in environmental sanitation activities, describing cleanliness as essential to building a healthier and more sustainable Lagos.

Meanwhile, during an inspection of the Olusosun Landfill, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the state was transitioning from the traditional “collect-and-dump” waste disposal model to a circular system that converts waste into valuable resources.

Wahab explained that the planned material recovery facility in Ikorodu would receive waste from transfer loading stations and process thousands of tonnes daily into reusable products and energy.

“We can no longer sustain the waste management system we have practised for decades. Waste must become a resource for wealth creation, energy generation and environmental sustainability,” he said.

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The Ogun State Waste Management Authority has sealed the Ijebu-Mushin market in Ijebu East Local Government Area over persistent poor sanitation and indiscriminate waste disposal.

The enforcement action, according to the government, followed repeated warnings to market leaders and traders, which were allegedly ignored.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on OGWAMA, Farook Akintunde, said the closure became necessary to safeguard public health and environmental standards.

He explained that traders in the market consistently failed to patronise the designated Private Sector Participant (PSP) responsible for waste evacuation, opting instead to dump refuse indiscriminately within the market premises.

Akintunde noted that despite government intervention, including mechanical evacuation of accumulated waste and the provision of roll-on roll-off bins, compliance remained poor.

“They refused to use the waste facilities provided and continued unhygienic practices, leaving the government with no choice but to act,” he stated.

The state government emphasized that it would not tolerate actions capable of endangering the health and well-being of residents.

Akintunde warned that unsanitary conditions in markets could lead to contamination of goods and increase the risk of disease outbreaks within the community.

He added that the market would remain closed until traders comply with proper sanitation standards and adopt approved waste disposal methods.

The development adds to previous enforcement actions by the state government, including the temporary closure of Kuto Market in Abeokuta over similar environmental violations.

Authorities reiterated their commitment to maintaining clean and safe public spaces, urging market operators across the state to adhere strictly to environmental regulations.

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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has released four telephone numbers for residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to report cases of uncleared refuse across Abuja.

The move is part of efforts to tackle the growing waste management challenge in the territory and ensure that sanitation contractors carry out their duties promptly and effectively.

Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, urged residents to actively participate in monitoring sanitation activities by submitting photographic and video evidence of uncleared refuse.

Olayinka explained that such reports should be sent via WhatsApp, with clear details of the location provided to enable the authorities identify the responsible waste management contractors.

He said the initiative is aimed at strengthening accountability and improving environmental cleanliness across the FCT.

According to him, residents can report sanitation lapses using the following phone numbers: 08038643087, 07011073406, 07011255710 and 09114843425.

The FCTA reiterated its commitment to maintaining a clean and healthy environment and called on residents to support government efforts by promptly reporting sanitation issues.

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The Oyo State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have called on residents to adopt sustainable waste management habits, particularly by reusing and repurposing textiles to protect the environment.

The appeal was made during this year’s World Clean-Up Day celebration in Ibadan, themed “Tackling Textile and Fashion Waste through Circular Economy.”

The Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Seun Ashamu, urged citizens, especially market traders, to sort their waste properly and support recycling initiatives.

Ashamu reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and warned that violators would face sanctions.

He stressed that the initiative aims not only to commemorate the global event but also to raise awareness of the dangers of textile and fashion waste.

UNICEF’s Director of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Mr. Monday Johnson, highlighted that textiles are a major contributor to pollution and urged residents to adopt responsible clothing consumption and disposal habits.

Similarly, Dr. Femi Balogun of the University of Ibadan, represented by Dr. Deborah Adeyemi, emphasized that adopting a circular economy model is vital for tackling textile waste.

The Chairman of the Oyo State House Committee on Environment and Ecology, Rahman Olorunpoto, also commended the ministry’s efforts and reiterated the Assembly’s commitment to promoting a clean and sustainable environment.

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As Lagos continues to grapple with environmental challenges linked to rapid urbanisation, residents across the state have raised alarm over the city’s deteriorating air quality largely caused by indiscriminate waste burning, vehicle emissions, and poor sanitation practices.

In separate interviews with our source, residents from Ikorodu to Alagbado described how fumes from refuse fires, exhaust pipes, and industrial discharges now hang constantly in the air, posing serious health risks and environmental hazards.

A civil servant in Ikorodu, Mrs Itunu Dada, said that most residents prefer to burn waste instead of engaging licensed waste collectors. “When you go outside, you see smoke everywhere.

It causes cough, chest pain, and irritation. Around the markets, heaps of refuse on road medians emit offensive odours. It’s terrible,” she said.

Dada urged the Lagos State Government to enforce stricter sanitation laws and increase the frequency of waste evacuation.

“Those clearing drains often leave waste piled up for weeks. When it rains, it all washes back into the drainage. We need a task force to stop illegal dumping and burning,” she added.

In Alimosho, Mrs Stella Lawrence, a teacher, said air pollution has become part of daily life. “Many commercial vehicles emit thick black fumes because they’re not roadworthy. Generator use also makes it worse. The government should phase out unfit vehicles and improve power supply to reduce generator dependence,” she said.

Similarly, Miss Chioma Ndukwe, a communications expert in Okota, said the air in densely populated areas like Oshodi has become unbearable.

“Walking through Oshodi Market feels like choking — between exhaust fumes, burning waste, and poor sanitation, breathing clean air is a struggle,” she noted.

Ndukwe called for stricter vehicle emission checks, industrial regulation, and better public sanitation. “Everyone deserves to breathe clean air in Lagos,” she said.

In Lekki, Mr Bruno Ajede, a businessman, said though the area is relatively cleaner, fumes from vehicles remain a major issue.

“Air pollution causes respiratory problems like asthma. It’s a serious public health threat,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ajibola Ajayi, a marketer in Alagbado, said vehicular pollution in his community remains unchecked. “Many cars here emit heavy smoke, yet no one monitors them,” he complained.

Reacting, Mr Friday Oku, President of the Association of Wastepickers of Lagos, linked the problem to Nigeria’s dependence on fossil fuels.

“Our continued reliance on petrol and diesel is harming both health and the environment. We must embrace renewable energy and cleaner alternatives like CNG,” he said.

Oku criticised inconsistent government policies, including the recent ban on “cart pushers,” saying such actions worsen emissions. “Replacing carts with tricycles only adds to pollution. It shows poor policy direction,” he stated.

The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, said it remains committed to improving air quality under its Blue and Green Economy Initiative and Air Quality Monitoring Network.

The state has also deployed mobile sensors to monitor pollution levels and enforce compliance among industries and transport operators.

However, environmental advocates argue that without stronger law enforcement and public behavioural change, Lagos’ ambition for clean air will remain far from reality.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

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The Environmental Taskforce in Edo State on Saturday arrested 50 persons in Benin for violating sanitation laws.

The new NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Saidi Akintayo, led the operation across areas including Sapele Road, Ekiosa Market, Siloko Road, and New Benin Market.

Akintayo said the exercise was to enforce compliance with the state’s monthly sanitation directive and promote a clean, healthy environment. He reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to supporting government efforts on environmental hygiene and public health.

The suspects were arraigned before a mobile court at the Egor Local Government Secretariat.

Oredo Council Chairman, Mr. Gabriel Idusere, who joined the exercise, commended residents for their cooperation and assured that measures had been put in place for prompt refuse evacuation.

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to decommission major landfills that have exceeded their lifespan as part of a renewed effort to enhance waste management and promote environmental sustainability.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter) following a meeting with all 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Area chairmen.

Wahab said the move aligns with the state’s strategy to build a cleaner, flood-free Lagos through stronger coordination between state and local authorities.

“We are decommissioning landfills like Olusosun and Solous 3 that have outlived their usefulness, while ensuring that functional ones like Epe remain active and efficient,” he said.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, was attended by senior government officials, including the Commissioners for Transportation and Local Government Affairs, the Secretary to the State Government, and heads of agencies.

Wahab stressed that environmental management must begin at the grassroots, urging local councils to strengthen waste collection, community sensitisation, and enforcement against indiscriminate dumping.

He also reiterated that the ban on street trading remains in force, warning that environmental violations must be handled firmly.

“The state is investing in resilient drainage and flood control infrastructure, and local governments must replicate this commitment in their respective communities,” he added.

Wahab emphasized that environmental sustainability is a shared duty requiring joint action across all tiers of government.

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