In a fresh bid to keep Umuahia clean and healthy, the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) has taken decisive action against environmental offenders. Seventeen people — seven men and ten women — were recently apprehended for littering and dumping refuse indiscriminately on the streets and in gutters.

According to ASEPA’s Deputy Manager for Umuahia Zone, Catechist Ambros Jonah, speaking through the Head of Monitoring Unit, Mr. Marcauley Okpara, the arrests are meant to serve as a strong warning to residents who flout environmental laws. Jonah stressed that cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility, and those caught polluting the environment will face the full weight of the law — regardless of their social status.

The agency reminded residents that the approved time for refuse disposal in Umuahia remains 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Outside these hours, dumping waste is prohibited. ASEPA’s monitoring team has now started street-to-street checks, including close inspections of gutters, to ensure compliance.

Offences such as littering sachet water bags and leaving waste around residential areas remain punishable. Shop owners, tenants, and market traders have been warned to keep their surroundings clean or risk immediate arrest and prosecution.

While the court handling the matter gave each offender the option of paying a fine, ASEPA has made it clear: the crackdown is just beginning, and there will be no tolerance for environmental violations.