The Revenue Court of Imo State, sitting at the State Capital, Owerri, has convicted eight individuals arrested for multiple violations of the Eastern Waste Management Corporation (Establishment) Law, 2025.

The suspects were apprehended during routine enforcement operations by officials of the Eastern Waste Management Company (EWAMAC) in collaboration with relevant security agencies. The arrests followed credible intelligence and field monitoring aimed at curbing illegal waste activities within the metropolis.

The convicted persons were charged with various waste-related infractions, including:

Unauthorized evacuation and transportation of waste without EWAMAC approval;

Illegal collection and picking of recyclable and non-recyclable materials from designated waste bins;

Interference with officially designated waste disposal facilities;

Operating waste-related activities without proper registration or licensing under EWAMAC regulations;

Environmental nuisance and improper waste handling contrary to State sanitation standards;

Obstruction of lawful enforcement operations by authorized officers.

These actions constitute clear violations of the EWAMAC Law, 2025, which vests the Agency with exclusive authority to regulate, supervise, and control waste management activities across Imo State.

During proceedings, the suspects were duly represented by counsel.

After extensive arguments were canvassed by both the prosecution and defense, the Honourable Magistrate carefully reviewed the facts, statutory provisions, and evidence placed before the Court.

In a well-considered ruling, the Court found the accused persons guilty as charged.

The Honourable Magistrate consequently convicted the eight offenders and sentenced each of them to three (3) months imprisonment, with an option of fine as prescribed under the relevant provisions of the EWAMAC Law, 2025.

EWAMAC reiterates that the enforcement exercise is not punitive but regulatory and corrective in nature. The objective remains the protection of public health, environmental sustainability, and the preservation of sanitation standards across Imo State.

The Agency warns that:

Unauthorized waste evacuation and scavenging activities will no longer be tolerated;

Only duly licensed and authorized operators may engage in waste management services within the State;

Any person or entity found violating environmental regulations will be prosecuted accordingly.

EWAMAC remains committed to supporting the environmental reform agenda of the Imo State Government and ensuring strict compliance with sanitation laws. Residents and corporate bodies are urged to cooperate fully with authorized waste management directives and report any illegal waste activities to the appropriate authorities.

Environmental responsibility is a collective duty.

For further information, please contact:
Eastern Waste Management Company (EWAMAC)
Owerri, Imo State

The Federal Government has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to immediately halt all enforcement actions regarding the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle products.

The offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, and National Security Adviser, ONSA, in a joint intervention, cited grave concerns over economic stability and potential security threats as reasons for the directive.

The statement warned that continued enforcement, in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy, could “destabilize communities, worsen unemployment, and trigger avoidable security challenges”.

According to the statement signed by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, the government clarified that while the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health under the direction of President Bola Tinubu, NAFDAC must refrain from sealing factories or warehouses until the policy is fully operationalized.

The statement emphasized that the current “de facto banning” of the products without a harmonized framework is creating significant disruptions.

“The continued sealing of warehouses and de facto banning of sachet alcohol products is already creating economic disruptions and poses a growing security threat, particularly given the impact on employment, supply chains, and informal distribution networks across the country,” the statement warned.

The statement further revealed that the decision was influenced by a correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025.

The letter, signed by Deputy Chairman Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, highlighted existing National Assembly resolutions that cautioned against the proposed ban.

Reaffirming a previous suspension issued in December 2025, the statement stated the need to review legislative, public health and economic factors before a final decision is reached.

“Accordingly, all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the final consultations and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement emphasized.

The United States Department of Homeland Security, DHS, has expanded its deportation list to include an additional 18 Nigerians classified under its “worst-of-the-worst” criminal offenders category, raising the total number of Nigerians slated for removal to 97.

This development comes barely a week after 79 Nigerians convicted of various crimes had been earmarked for deportation by U.S. authorities.

A review of the DHS official website on Monday revealed that 18 more names had been added to the register, signaling an intensification of the ongoing enforcement exercise.

Updated DHS records show that offences linked to the newly listed individuals largely revolve around wire fraud, mail fraud, and identity theft.

In a statement accompanying the publication, the department explained that the arrests form part of a nationwide operation targeting criminal immigrants.

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the statement read.

It further stated, “Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the dedicated personnel of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s mandate by implementing mass deportations, beginning with the most dangerous offenders, including the illegal aliens listed here.”

Among the Nigerians newly named are Oluwaseyanu Akinola Afolabi, Olugbeminiyi Aderibigbe, Benjamin Ifebajo, Obinwanne Okeke, Kolawole Aminu, Oluwadamilola Olufunsho Ojo, and Franklin Ibeabuchi.

Others on the list include Alex Afolabi Ogunshakin, Joshua Ineh, Stephen Oseghale, Eghosa Obaretin, Adesina Surajudeen Lasisi, Ibrahim Ijaoba, Azeez Yinusa, Charles Akabuogu, Kelechi Umeh, Lotenna Chisom Umeadi, Donald Ehie, and Chukwudi Kingsley Kalu.

The updated figures reflect the Trump administration’s sustained hardline approach to immigration enforcement, with a focus on removing foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, including a growing number of Nigerians.