The Lagos State Government has announced a plan to arrest and prosecute individuals who allegedly assaulted enforcement officers during an inspection of wastewater treatment plant at the Access Bank’s facility in Oniru, Victoria Island.
The alleged assault incident was said to have followed a whistleblower’s tip-off that the wastewater treatment plant at the facility was non-functional.
This prompted the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) to inspect the premises for possible environmental violations.
“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 result of 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 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.”
Following a whistleblower complaint, I directed the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office team to visit the Access Bank Plc @myaccessbank building at Oniru, Victoria Island, where it was discovered that the wastewater treatment plant at the facility was non-functional,… pic.twitter.com/g2O5C3oG5m
— Tokunbo Wahab (@tokunbo_wahab) April 1, 2026
Video footage shared online and reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES shows a police officer attached to the facility allegedly threatening one of the enforcement officers during the confrontation.
Officials were later seen carrying out the closure of the premises.
At the time of filing this report, the bank had yet to respond to the altercation at one of its branches.
The incident is 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.
