Oyo State Gives Durantee Farm Ultimatum Over Environmental Violations

News in brief:

-Oyo State authorities have served a fresh 14-day compliance notice over unresolved environmental violations.

-The farm management faces further enforcement if corrective wastewater measures are not implemented.

The Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA) recently issued a fresh 14-day compliance notice to Durantee Farm Limited, located in Challenge, Ibadan, over its failure to address previously identified environmental infractions.

The notice was served in collaboration with officials from the Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources following a follow-up inspection conducted on February 9, 2026.

Follow-Up Inspection After Earlier Abatement Notice

The joint enforcement team revisited the facility after the expiration of a 21-day Notice to Abate Nuisance initially issued on November 10, 2025. The earlier directive stemmed from allegations of improper wastewater management and the discharge of untreated effluents into public water bodies.

During the latest inspection, officers observed that no visible corrective action had commenced, particularly regarding the reconstruction, structural modification and covering of the farm’s open Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP).

From an environmental compliance perspective, open and poorly managed effluent systems pose risks to groundwater quality, surface water contamination and surrounding agricultural lands, especially in peri-urban production zones.

Company Cites Pending Ministry Approval

Responding to the enforcement team, the company’s Human Resources and Administration Manager, Alhaji Ebunade Oloyede, stated that the farm had engaged a consultant to prepare upgrade plans for the facility.

He added that the company had written to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources seeking approval for the proposed improvements but had yet to receive a response, which he cited as the reason for the delay in execution.

Following the inspection, OYRLEA directed the company to report to the Authority within the 14-day window with verifiable proof of the consultant’s engagement, project drawings and evidence of submission of its approval request to the ministry.

The Authority warned that failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe would attract further enforcement action in accordance with Oyo State’s environmental and public health regulations.

OYRLEA reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing environmental standards, stressing that compliance by agro-processing and livestock-related enterprises is essential to protecting public health, water resources and sustainable agricultural development across the state.