Lagos govt seals Access Bank branch over untreated waste discharge

The Lagos State Government has sealed a branch of Access Bank Plc located at Land Bridge Avenue, Oniru, Victoria Island, over an alleged discharge of untreated faecal waste into public drainage channels.

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In a statement shared on X on Thursday, Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, stated that the action followed reports of environmental violations.

Mr Wahab explained that some officials of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) carried out a joint enforcement operation at the premises on Wednesday night after receiving a whistleblower tip.

The statement said the agency’s investigations 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.

***Officials of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) sealing up the Bank***

“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 said.

He added that the property would be sanctioned in accordance with existing environmental regulations, reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance stance on pollution.

Access Bank has yet to publicly comment on the developments.

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PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the state government vowed to arrest and prosecute some 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 Mr Wahab, the alleged assault incident followed a whistleblower’s tip-off that the wastewater treatment plant at the facility was non-functional.

He said the agency was prompted 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.”

Mr Wahab said 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,” the statement added.

Mr Wahab said enforcement officers would be reinforced to return and seal off the property on Wednesday night in line with the Lagos State Environmental Laws.

“There will be NO SACRED COWS in the enforcement of environmental regulations,” the official said. “Any individual or organisation found violating environmental laws, regardless of status, will be held accountable.”

At the time of filing this report, the bank had not yet responded to the altercation at one of its branches.

The incident was the latest in a series of confrontations between environmental enforcement officials and establishments accused of violating sanitation laws in Lagos.

In December 2025, officials of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also known as KAI, were reportedly attacked during an enforcement operation at Yakoyo Abula Restaurant.

The agency said the officials were on duty to enforce rules against the discharge of untreated wastewater, fats and oils when the facility allegedly broke a government seal and resisted enforcement. The situation escalated into violence, with several officers injured.

Mr Wahab later described the incident as a serious breach of environmental laws and a direct attack on public officials carrying out lawful duties.

“The Yakoyo restaurant not only broke the government’s seal but also unleashed armed thugs on officials performing their duties. This crosses every line,” Mr Wahab stated.