Lagos wastepickers demand probe after million‑naira recyclable loss

The Association of Scraps and Wastepickers of Lagos (ASWOL) says an enforcement operation in Amuwo‑Odofin, Lagos destroyed and burned recyclable material worth millions of naira. The incident wiped out months of collection, sorting and aggregation by informal waste pickers and led to the detention of several of them.

ASWOL President Friday Oku called for an immediate, transparent and independent investigation, compensation for affected pickers, prosecution of those responsible and formal recognition of waste pickers as legitimate environmental service providers. He warned that open burning releases toxic pollutants that endanger public health and undermines climate‑change mitigation, stating, "The destruction and burning of recyclable materials worth millions of naira have not only plunged affected families into hardship but also undermined efforts to promote recycling, resource recovery and environmental sustainability."