Lagos seals Obalende NITEL building over illegal sewage discharge
Tokunbo Wahab
Lagos State Wastewater Management Office, LSWMO, working alongside Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, has sealed the old NITEL building on MacCarthy Street in Obalende, Lagos Island, over allegations of improper sewage disposal.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the action followed confirmed reports that raw sewage was being discharged directly into public drainage channels from the facility.
According to the commissioner, the practice constituted a serious environmental nuisance, contributing to pollution and posing significant health risks to residents within the vicinity.
He explained that investigations revealed that occupants of the building had been channeling untreated wastewater into public drains, thereby violating environmental regulations and endangering public health.
“The old NITEL building is occupied by squatters whose presence could not be properly accounted for, living without any form of authorisation or coordination,” Wahab stated.
He reiterated the state government’s zero tolerance for environmental violations and urged residents to embrace responsible wastewater management and hygiene practices in the interest of public health and environmental sustainability.
“Lagos enjoins all residents to adopt proper wastewater management and hygiene practices to safeguard public health and protect the environment. Any act of environmental nuisance will attract appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution,” the commissioner warned.
The enforcement exercise was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to curb environmental abuse across the state.
