Uche Amunike
Lifeandtimes News Writer
The Lagos State Government has sealed a branch of Access Bank Plc, situated at Land Bridge Avenue, Oniru, Victoria Island, for allegedly discharging untreated faecal waste into public drainage channels.
Speaking, through a statement shared on X on Thursday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that they had to seal the said Access Bank branch after receiving several reports of environmental violations.
This led to some officials of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) carrying out a joint enforcement operation at the said Access Bank premises on Wednesday night after receiving a whistleblower tip.
According to the statement, investigations of the agency confirmed that the facility was discharging raw sewage into the drains, resulting in offensive odour and environmental degradation in the area, in violation of state environmental laws.
His words: ‘Following a tip from another whistleblower, the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office in joint enforcement activities on yesternight sealed off another branch of Access Bank at Land Bridge Avenue, Oniru, Victoria Island having confirmed to be indiscriminately discharging raw faecal matter into the drainages causing foul smell and environmental degradation in defiance of the State Environmental laws.’
He further stated that the Access Bank branch would be sanctioned in accordance with existing environmental regulations, while explaining that the government had zero tolerance level for pollution.
As at press time, Access Bank is yet to comment on the developments publicly.
Recall that the Lagos State Government had vowed to arrest and prosecute certain individuals linked to Access Bank who allegedly assaulted enforcement officers during an inspection of a wastewater treatment plant at its facility in Oniru, Victoria Island on Wednesday.
According to Wahab, the alleged assault incident happened after it followed a whistleblower’s tip that the wastewater treatment plant at the facility was not functional. He stated that the agency was forced to inspect the premises for possible environmental violations, which led to the assault of the enforcement officers.
‘During the enforcement visit, officials of LSWMO were denied access to seal the facility. Security personnel and management representatives of the bank resisted our officers and, in the process, attacked members of the enforcement team,’ the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday.
‘Consequently, the LSWMO team has taken samples of the effluent being discharged from the premises for laboratory analysis and the result of the test came back positive.’
Wahab also stated that the state government ‘will also proceed to court to obtain the necessary orders for the arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in the attack on government officials carrying out their lawful duties.’
‘Meanwhile, enforcement officers will be reinforced to return and seal off the property tonight in line with the Lagos State Environmental Laws.’
He maintained that there would be no sacred cows in the enforcement of environmental regulations and any individual or organization found violating environmental laws would be held accountable, regardless of their status.
