Lagos Government Moves to Seal Access Bank HQ Over Violations

The Lagos State government has initiated proceedings to seal the headquarters of Access Bank Plc located in Oniru, Victoria Island, over alleged environmental violations related to wastewater management. Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, disclosed that the action follows an inspection carried out by officials from the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) in response to a whistleblower complaint.

The inspection revealed that the bank's wastewater treatment plant was allegedly non-functional, resulting in the discharge of untreated effluent, including fecal matter, into the public drainage system, raising serious public health and environmental concerns. During the enforcement visit, security personnel representing the bank reportedly obstructed the officials, leading to an attack on the enforcement team.

Wastewater samples collected from the premises were subjected to laboratory analysis, which confirmed contamination. The state government plans to obtain a court order to arrest and prosecute individuals allegedly involved in the incident, emphasizing that no corporate entity or individual is exempt from compliance with environmental laws.