Residents of Lagos have expressed concern over what they described as the increasingly irregular services provided by Private Sector Participant waste operators in the state, warning that indiscriminate dumping of refuse is heightening environmental and public health risks.

The residents spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.

NAN observed that parts of Ikorodu, Ayobo, Alagbado, Shasha, Ikotun, Akesan, Afariogun Street, Mafoluku, Airport Road, and LASU-Iba Road have suffered long gaps in waste evacuation.

Many households have resorted to burning refuse or dumping it in gutters, particularly during rainfall.

In Ikorodu, Miss Adekoya Toyosi, a businesswoman, said PSP operators no longer maintain predictable schedules.

“Collection sometimes drops from three times a month to once a month. If the waste is much and the PSP doesn’t come around, we use the gutter when it rains, and sometimes we burn it when it’s sunny,” she said, adding that residents pay between ₦500 and ₦700 depending on waste volume.

Mr Timilehin Ogunnariwo, also an Ikorodu resident and human resource practitioner, noted that PSP trucks often arrive already full, leaving inner streets unattended.

“I use three drums in my compound, but when waste accumulates, rats scatter it everywhere. Leakage from overflowing PSP trucks in the local market has become a recurring environmental hazard,” he said.

Mrs Ajibola Mafolayanmi, a fashion designer, said she burns her waste three to four times a week.

“There is a field where people dispose of their waste, but it’s far. Burning gives us catarrh and cough, but we have no choice since the PSP does not come to our area,” she explained.

Mrs Ogundinmu Mariam, who oversees market waste in Ikorodu, said refuse is evacuated weekly through the local council but not consistently.

“During the rainy season, the whole place becomes messy and smelly. Some residents have turned to informal haulers,” she said.

Mrs Oluranti Favour, a food vendor, said cart pushers are now her main option, adding that PSP operators “come once in a while.” Another resident, Iya Gbogo, said she pays between ₦500 and ₦1,000 weekly for private disposal because she is not registered under the PSP.

In Ayobo Extension, residents attributed service gaps to bad roads and persistent rainfall. Mrs Gloria Ogbu said operators resurfaced “only after a very long while.”

At Shasha, Egbeda, a teacher, Mrs Stella Lawrence, said PSP operators render “selective services,” noting that nearby estates enjoy regular pickups while other streets are neglected.

“They should make waste evacuation regular and affordable. Many people now rely on banned cart pushers,” she said.

Along AIT Road, Alagbado, NAN observed heaps of refuse on the road median, attributed to weeks of non-collection.

In Ikotun, Mr Ugochukwu Eze, a journalist, criticised the billing system by PSP operators.

“Sometimes, they don’t come for two weeks, yet they bill you as if they came. They behave like the former NEPA that bills you whether service is rendered or not,” he said, calling for a pay-as-you-go model to avoid shortchanging residents.

In the Akesan–Badore axis along LASU–Isheri Road, Mr Kunle Ayodele, a civil servant, said PSP operators had not visited in more than three weeks.

“The heaps of dirt pose a risk of disease outbreak. PSP comes only twice a month, so people now dump refuse on the expressway,” he said, adding that the closure of the Igando dumpsite and relocation to Badagry has increased turnaround time and diesel costs, affecting collection frequency.

Mr Ugochukwu Okoro, a civil servant and resident of Ajao Estate, said PSP operators have reduced collection in the estate despite regular payments.

“I don’t understand what is happening. PSP operators who used to come every Wednesday are no longer coming. Ajao Estate, known for its cleanliness, is gradually being littered with waste,” he said.

However, residents in Lekki Phase 1 reported consistent service. Mrs Ese Afolabi, a civil servant, commended PSP operators for evacuating waste every Monday or the next day if delayed.

“Their consistency keeps the environment clean and healthy,” she said.

The President of the Association of Scrap and Waste Pickers of Lagos, Mr Friday Oku, acknowledged concerns about scavengers scattering waste at collection points. He said the association is collaborating with government agencies to train waste pickers on proper handling and occupational safety.

“Some are not under our association and avoid training because they fear taxation. We are planning more community awareness and training next year,” he said.

Commenting on broader challenges, the President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, said PSP operators remain committed to effective service delivery but face structural constraints.

“The PSP operators are committed to efficient service delivery. However, as some of your respondents noted, there are challenges at the disposal sites which we, together with the government, are discussing at the highest level. We recently met with the governor, and the discussions were productive. Short-, medium-, and long-term solutions are being worked on to address the disposal problems,” he said.

Residents across affected communities urged the Lagos State Government and Lagos Waste Management Authority to ensure more frequent and predictable PSP services to curb indiscriminate dumping, burning, and related health hazards.

NAN

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Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi, has lashed out at those calling for his arrest over his continued commentary on banditry and national security.

The Islamic cleric has for years positioned himself as an intermediary between the government and bandit groups, a role that has drawn both support and condemnation from the public.

Some of his critics have accused him of shielding bandits and terrorists by asking the government to negotiate with them instead of resorting to full force.

In a statement shared via Facebook on Sunday, the cleric defended his dealings with the gunmen, describing his opponents as “spineless, irresponsible and unpatriotic imbecilic people” who prefer outrage to truth.

Gumi condemned the rising calls for his arrest, insisting that he has committed no crime by engaging with bandits in an attempt to secure peace.

He said the loudest voices demanding that he be picked up by security agencies are driven by bigotry, ignorance and intolerance for differing viewpoints.

“ARREST HIM!!! These are the only words some spineless, irresponsible and unpatriotic imbecilic people can utter,” he wrote, arguing that his critics have chosen to politicise his peace efforts rather than reflect on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Gumi recalled a major intervention he led in January 2021 in Sabon Garin Yadi forest, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to him, he was escorted by the then Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, who represented the Inspector-General of Police on the mission.

He said the meeting, attended by more than 600 armed bandits and their commanders, was part of a broader peace initiative aimed at persuading criminal elements to surrender their weapons, embrace dialogue and stop attacks on local communities.

“I was at Sabon Garin Yadi forest, accompanied by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police… This meeting was part of a peace initiative where we preached to over 600 bandits and their commanders, who agreed to lay down their arms in exchange for security and basic amenities,” he said.

The cleric insisted that the negotiation was transparent, legitimate and conducted with the approval and knowledge of the authorities.

He stressed that the conditions presented by the bandits, provision of basic amenities, protection from arbitrary arrests and assurances of safety, were never honoured by the government, leading to the collapse of the peace window.

He expressed frustration that instead of interrogating why the authorities failed to implement agreed conditions, some Nigerians prefer to target him personally.

“The purpose of the meeting was an effort to de-escalate violence by having bandits surrender their weapons and embrace peace.

“The outcome was that over 600 bandits agreed to lay down their arms. They presented conditions to the government… None fulfilled”, he said.

Gumi questioned why his mediation efforts, which he said were undertaken in the national interest, should provoke calls for his arrest.

“So, what is there to arrest for? For calling them to lay arms or amenities for them, or to educate the nation on their side of the story?” he asked.

He further ridiculed what he described as the hypocrisy of his detractors, insisting that free speech remains a constitutional right and that differing opinions must not be criminalised.

“Is free speech no longer part of our constitutional right? Is their call for arrest not also prejudiced and an incitement to more violence?” he queried.

The cleric urged Nigerians to rise above what he called emotional reactions and consider practical approaches to ending the banditry crisis, warning that hate-driven narratives only worsen insecurity.

According to him, silencing voices that advocate dialogue does nothing to address the deep-rooted socioeconomic and security failures fueling insurgency and rural banditry.

Gumi concluded with a prayer for national unity, describing bigotry and intolerance as major threats to peace.

“May Allah protect our nation from bigotry, stubborn and complete intolerance of contrary views and opinions,” he wrote.

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Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has fired back at critics calling for his arrest over his long-standing engagement with bandits, describing them as “spineless, irresponsible and unpatriotic imbecilic people.”

It was reports that Gumi, who shared a statement on Facebook on Sunday, has for years positioned himself as a mediator between the government and armed bandit groups. This role has drawn both praise and condemnation from Nigerians.

His critics accuse him of shielding terrorists by urging government dialogue rather than a military crackdown.

The cleric insisted he has broken no law and said the loudest voices demanding his arrest are motivated by bigotry and ignorance.

He wrote, “ARREST HIM!!! These are the only words some spineless, irresponsible and unpatriotic imbecilic people can utter.”

According to him, these individuals prefer outrage to reasoned debate, choosing to politicise his peace initiatives rather than address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Gumi recalled one of his major interventions in January 2021 in the Sabon Garin Yadi forest, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He said the mission was conducted with the full knowledge and approval of security agencies.

“I was at Sabon Garin Yadi forest, accompanied by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police… This meeting was part of a peace initiative where we preached to over 600 bandits and their commanders, who agreed to lay down their arms in exchange for security and basic amenities,” he said.

He added that the negotiation was legitimate, transparent and aimed at de-escalating violence.

The cleric said the agreement collapsed after government authorities failed to honour the conditions presented by the armed groups, including access to basic amenities, assurances of safety and protection from arbitrary arrests.

He argued that instead of holding officials accountable for the breakdown of the peace process, some Nigerians have targeted him unfairly.

Gumi said, “The outcome was that over 600 bandits agreed to lay down their arms. They presented conditions… None fulfilled.”

He questioned why efforts aimed at persuading bandits to surrender their weapons should provoke the kind of public anger now directed at him.

He asked, “So, what is there to arrest for? For calling them to lay arms or amenities for them, or to educate the nation on their side of the story?”

He further argued that the calls for his arrest amount to intolerance and disregard for free expression.

Gumi stated, “Is free speech no longer part of our constitutional right? Is their call for arrest not also prejudiced and an incitement to more violence?”

Gumi urged Nigerians to rise above emotional reactions and support practical, long-term solutions to insecurity.

He warned that silencing voices advocating dialogue will not address the deep-rooted socioeconomic and security failures driving banditry across the country.

The cleric concluded with a prayer for unity, saying, “May Allah protect our nation from bigotry, stubborn and complete intolerance of contrary views and opinions.”

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