One injured, vehicle set ablaze as scavengers, Enugu Taskforce clash

Forum 9 months ago

One injured, vehicle set ablaze as scavengers, Enugu Taskforce clash

The Enugu State taskforce enforcing government’s ban on the activities of plastic and iron scavengers, Tuesday, clashed with scavengers.

The incident occurred as the team members were trying to prevent the loading of suspected stolen and vandalised items into trailers to their illicit buyers at scavengers’ dumpsite located at Abakpa Nike, Enugu.

A vehicle belonging to the taskforce was also torched by the scavengers.

This was even as residents, who recounted their losses over the activities of the scavengers, commended the effort of the Peter Mbah Administration to enforce the provisions of the Enugu State Environmental Law, which prohibits the activities of scavengers and also prescribes a two-year prison term for violators.

The taskforce had taken the scavengers unawares as they were loading the items into a trailer. However, an attempt to stop them resulted in a violent attack on the taskforce members with dangerous items like iron and broken bottles.

Not even the reinforcement of the team with a detachment of police personnel could deter the scavengers, as they became more violent, hauling various missiles at the police and the taskforce.