Lagos seals church, others over noise, air pollution

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency has intensified its enforcement against environmental infractions, sealing several establishments in the Ifako-Ijaiye and Igando areas over repeated cases of noise and air pollution.

The agency disclosed this in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, following an enforcement operation carried out on Monday.

Among the sealed premises were the Cherubim and Seraphim (King of Kings) Church in Georgius Cole Estate, Ifako-Ijaiye; a fufu-making shop for heat and air pollution; and Tyonex Nigeria Limited, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, for environmental nuisance.

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LASEPA General Manager, Babatunde Ajayi, said the enforcement was aimed at protecting public health and restoring environmental sanity across Lagos.

He noted that the agency had received multiple complaints from residents about the church’s activities despite previous warnings.

Ajayi, ”specifically frowned at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church operating illegally within a residential Georgius Cole Estate, Ifako Ijaye, with several complaints of unabated noise infractions brought against the Church by the residents.”

Ajayi also cautioned that while freedom of worship is guaranteed, it must not violate the rights of others.

“As much as there is freedom of worship in the State, no individual or association is allowed to infringe on the fundamental rights of others or impact negatively on the health of other neighbours in the name of religious activities,”Ajayi added.

The LASEPA boss reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance policy for pollution of any form.

It was earlier reported that the Lagos State Government sealed the sewage and wastewater treatment facility of Yaba College of Technology for allegedly discharging raw sewage into the environment.

The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office, under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, carried out the enforcement after several warning letters sent to the institution were ignored.