Extortion Allegations: OGWAMA Boss Hunye Threatens Legal Action

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), Mr. Abayomi Hunye, has threatened to take legal action against a group of individuals claiming to be members of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria (AWMVRN) over allegations of extortion levelled against him.

The group had on Monday staged a protest in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, accusing Hunye of persistent extortion, arbitrary levies and attempts to edge out long-standing operators in the scrap and recycling sector.

 However, the Chairman of AWMVRN, Mr. Adesanya Kunle, swiftly disowned the protesters, describing them as former members who were suspended in 2023 over alleged fraudulent activities.

Addressing journalists during a media parley in Abeokuta on Thursday, Hunye dismissed the allegations as false, baseless and mischievous, insisting that the claims were intended to tarnish his image and that of the agency.

Hunye said “The allegations of extortion against my person are completely unfounded and baseless. At no point have I demanded or collected money from any operator, either directly or indirectly.

“The issue being raised has already been addressed. The association claimed to have written petitions to the Ogun State House of Assembly and the Commissioner of Police, yet no official communication was received by OGWAMA from any of these offices.

“The adjustment of fees being discussed is not new. It was implemented in 2024, and I find it curious that the same matter is being resurrected in 2026, after it had long been settled.

“Extortion involves the illegal collection of money for personal gain. All payments made by operators go directly into designated state government accounts. OGWAMA does not collect cash, and I have no personal interest in these payments beyond ensuring that due process and the law are strictly followed,” he added.

Hunye further emphasised that his foremost concern is the protection of his integrity and the credibility of OGWAMA, stressing that the agency operates strictly within its statutory powers to review and adjust fees when necessary.

Meanwhile, the media parley was marked by the presence of some association members who carried placards with various inscriptions, expressing solidarity with Mr. Abayomi Hunye and affirming their support for his leadership at OGWAMA.

The Chairman of the Association, Mr Adesanya Kunle insisted that the protesters had been suspended indefinitely since 2023, insisting they are no longer authentic excos of the Association. 

Adesanya also disclosed that the group of people who were suspended due to their involvement in unlawful practices, subsequently formed another association- ‘Association of Waste Managers, Vendors and Recyclers of Nigeria, without approval from the state government. 

“All these people parading themselves as the authentic members of the association are not. They have been suspended since 2023 due to illegal practices which are against OGWAMA and the state government. They were involved in multiple atrocities and they were suspended for that. I wrote the then Commissioner of Police and the Commissioner for Environment and copied the DSS. 

“Part of the policies of the state government that a company must not register more than one venture, but these people were going against that policy. 

“The reason they staged the protest against the SA/MD, Mr Abayomi Hunyen was because he is a man who would not condone corruption and these set of people wanted him to approve or embrace their corrupt acts and because they couldn't have their way, they decided to level unfounded allegations against the MD.”