The Federal Government has sealed three manufacturing firms in Ogijo, Ogun State, over serious breaches of occupational safety standards that allegedly exposed workers to hazardous lead conditions.

The affected companies including African Refractory and Allied Products, African Non-Ferrous Industries Limited and Metalworld Recycling Limited, were shut following an inspection led by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

A fourth company, Vedanta Metal Industries Limited, was not affected after reportedly complying with earlier safety directives issued by authorities.

Onyejeocha said the enforcement action followed the failure of the affected firms to comply with a 90-day ultimatum issued on December 9, which required them to address identified safety lapses, including the removal of hazardous materials.

“We gave them notification and caution. Our ministry staff had earlier inspected and clearly pointed out the violations, but they failed to act,” she said.

Describing the conditions observed during the inspection, the minister said workers were found handling materials without protective equipment in environments heavily contaminated with industrial dust.

“Workers were using bare hands to handle materials. We were practically surrounded by dust, and there were attempts to restrict access to certain areas,” she added.

She expressed concern over the impact of such conditions on workers’ health, alleging that several fatalities linked to unsafe practices had been recorded but not fully documented.

“The truth is they don’t care about people’s lives. There have been increasing reports of deaths, some of which go unrecorded,” Onyejeocha said, citing multiple cases across the affected facilities.

The minister warned that stricter sanctions, including possible revocation of operating licences, could be imposed on companies found to be in violation of safety regulations.

“All these actions come with legal consequences. Where lives are lost, such facilities risk losing their licences,” she said.

Onyejeocha also stressed that companies must obtain proper regulatory approval before altering their production processes, noting that compliance with established standards is mandatory.

She dismissed claims of jurisdictional conflict between federal and state regulators, insisting that safety enforcement remains a shared responsibility.

“There is no conflict. We must complement each other, but where there are infractions, we will act,” she said.

The minister further disclosed that the government is reviewing existing occupational safety laws to strengthen penalties and improve compliance.

She urged companies to prioritise worker safety, noting that sustainable development cannot be achieved without adequate protection of lives and health.