The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed 14 facilities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including popular entertainment venue Ibiza Night Club and retail outlet H Medix, for various breaches of Nigeria’s environmental regulations.
Addressing journalists in Abuja following the enforcement exercise, the director-general of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor said the agency’s action was in line with its mandate to protect the Nigerian environment and ensure compliance with existing environmental standards.
Barikor explained that NESREA had conducted a series of comprehensive inspections targeting facilities across different sectors, including entertainment, construction, real estate, and commercial retail. He said the inspections uncovered multiple violations, ranging from lack of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documents to non-adherence to operational standards that pose threats to both human health and the environment.
“Our team carried out a thorough assessment of several facilities. These inspections revealed clear violations including the absence of environmental documents and failure to comply with guidelines governing their operations. These lapses can endanger lives and properties,” he stated.
According to him, after the inspections, NESREA issued three compliance concern notices to the offending facilities, detailing the nature of the violations and providing timelines for corrective measures. However, despite the warnings, the 14 facilities failed to act, prompting the agency to initiate enforcement measures to safeguard the environment.
The facilities sealed include Dai Jin Jia Investment Limited, Airport Road; Ibiza Nite Club and De Hive Night Club, both in Area 11; Shaanxi Construction, Airport Road; Brmley Home, Katampe; Clover Court, Mabushi; Skyscape Real Estate, Sabon Lugbe; Richardo Estate, Wuye; H Medix, Wuye; Stepcho Nigeria Limited, Wuye; Bima Shelter, Asokoro; Bilami Nigeria Enterprise, Kado; Ifedi Homes Estate, Kukwaba District and Java Design Concept Nigeria, Wuse II.
The NESREA boss emphasised that the enforcement exercise addressed three specific areas of environmental concern: indiscriminate quarry blasting along Airport Road, excessive noise from entertainment venues in the city centre and failure by estate developers to submit environmental impact assessment statements.
Barikor stated that the enforcement action was guided by three key environmental regulations: the National Environmental (Quarrying and Blasting Operations) Regulations 2013, S.I. 33; the National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations 2011, S.I. 13; and the National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations 2009, S.I. 35.
He reiterated NESREA’s commitment to upholding Nigeria’s environmental laws, warning that the agency would continue to monitor quarrying and construction activities and would not hesitate to sanction facilities that fail to comply with environmental guidelines.
“We call on all stakeholders in the quarrying and construction sectors, as well as operators of entertainment venues, to take environmental standards seriously. Compliance is not optional. Sustainable practices must be adopted to safeguard the health and well-being of our communities,” Barikor said.
He further urged entertainment centres to regulate noise levels and consider the impact of their operations on nearby residential areas, stressing that citizens have a right to live in a peaceful and healthy environment.
Also speaking, NESREA’s director of environmental quality control, Elijah Udofia said the agency had followed due process before sealing the facilities. He confirmed that all the affected businesses were given ample opportunity to rectify their infractions but chose to ignore the agency’s notices.
“The facilities were issued three letters highlighting the specific violations and instructing them to take immediate corrective steps. Their refusal to comply with these directives left us with no option but to enforce the law to protect residents and uphold environmental standards,” Udofia added.
NESREA said it will continue its monitoring and enforcement operations to ensure that environmental compliance becomes a non-negotiable standard across all sectors in Nigeria.
