The Lagos State Government has condemned actions by staff of the Access Bank branch in Victoria Island over alleged environmental pollution and an attack on its enforcement officers during an inspection.
In a late Wednesday statement signed by the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the incident happened following a whistleblower complaint of the bank’s facility in Oniru.
According to the statement, the Commissioner directed the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) team to visit the Access Bank Plc building at Oniru, Victoria Island, where it was discovered that the wastewater treatment plant at the facility was non-functional.
Wahab stated that the facility was discharging untreated faecal matter into the public drainage system and causing severe damage to the environment.
He revealed that officials of the LSWMO were denied access to the facility during an enforcement operation.
The Commissioner further disclosed that samples of the waste were taken to a laboratory, and upon analysis, the results returned positive.
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The statement reads, “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.
“Consequently, the LSWMO team has taken samples of the effluent being discharged from the premises for laboratory analysis, and the results of the test came back positive.”
The Commissioner noted that the State will proceed to court to obtain necessary orders to arrest and prosecute individuals involved in the attack, asserting that the enforcement officials will return to seal off the building.
The State 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.
There will be NO SACRED COWS in the enforcement of environmental regulations. Any individual or organisation found violating environmental laws, regardless of status, will be held accountable.
