By Mariam Hassan and Uchechi Afonne
Some residents and shop owners in Orile, Iganmu, Lagos, have appealed for urgent intervention over persistent refuse accumulation.
They said the situation was affecting businesses, sanitation and daily activities in the community, with some residents also expressing concern about mosquitoes and flies.
The residents made the complaints in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
A NAN correspondent who visited Iludun, Orile, observed scattered refuse, dirty water and accumulated waste, with an unpleasant odour around the area.
A fish seller in Iludun said the refuse was affecting her business, as some customers were reluctant to buy fish in an unhygienic environment.
“I’m not happy about how the dirt is blocking my customers from coming to patronise me,” she said.
She said some customers feared flies could contaminate the fish, adding that she had resorted to clearing some of the refuse herself.
The trader appealed to the Lagos State Government to intervene and provide a lasting solution to the waste problem.
Rukkuyat Issac, a resident of Iludun, said the poor condition of the road made it difficult for the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to access the area.
She said the situation had affected waste evacuation and expressed concern about mosquitoes around the community.
“I hope something can be done because it’s really affecting my baby’s health. I have to get treatment for my baby all the time because of the mosquitoes,” she said.
Issac also said she experienced frequent coughing and appealed to the state government to urgently address the situation.
Another resident, Ekene Obi, said the refuse problem had persisted for years, adding that residents often dumped waste there because they had no designated disposal point.
He said residents were often unable to identify those responsible for dumping the waste and called for a sustainable waste disposal arrangement.
At Amukoko Cemetery, along Orile Road, NAN observed refuse piled around the road median, obstructing the pedestrian route used to cross the road.
Hawwah, a resident of Amukoko Cemetery, said the last evacuation of refuse in the area was about three weeks ago.
She attributed the situation to inadequate waste bins and irregular waste collection, saying residents sometimes resorted to roadside dumping.
Hawwah said businesses and residents were being affected, particularly when waste accumulated and rainfall caused flooding around the area.
“Customers avoid the area. Nobody wants to buy food from the shops or sit around,” she said.
“When it rains, the whole road is flooded, causing shops around here to lose sales,” Hawwah added.
She also expressed concern about mosquitoes and flies around the refuse and called for improved waste collection services.
LAWMA, in its 2026 Mid-Year Media Parley presentation, said heavy rainfall had affected access in parts of Lagos, slowing truck movement and temporarily delaying waste evacuation.
The agency said the government had responded with road rehabilitation, new disposal platforms, improved truck circulation and stronger evacuation logistics.
The residents, however, called for improved waste collection, adequate disposal facilities and regular evacuation to restore sanitation and protect daily economic activities.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma