By Abdullahi Lukman
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, sealed off 21 facilities in Abuja for multiple environmental violations.
The affected sites include housing estates and quarry operations.
NESREA Director General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, told journalists that the facilities were shut down after repeated written and physical attempts to ensure compliance were ignored.
He emphasized that the enforcement was not a punitive measure but aimed at reducing environmental damage and promoting regulatory compliance.
During the enforcement, NESREA observed that several sites failed the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
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Some structures were reportedly built on floodplains and other environmentally unsafe locations, particularly within the real estate sector, which Barikor accused of habitual non-compliance with environmental regulations.
Barikor noted that multiple public complaints prompted investigations, after which notices were issued to the violators. Many of the facilities, however, failed to submit required EIA documents before starting operations.
“The unchecked construction and quarrying activities have triggered serious concerns among host communities, contributing to flooding, erosion, and environmental degradation,” Barikor added.
The facilities sealed include: White Avenue Real Estate, CCECC-FIRS, Mo Mouna Construction, Practis Project, Belmont Court, Istrom Construction, Mab Global Estate, Ochacho Real Homes, Constrix, Anarock Global Services, Quali Trends Nigerian Ltd, Boked International, CCECC at CBD, Tim Tali Transport, Matilda Rozi Ltd, Efedi Homes, T’lon Construction, Cosgrove’s shopping mall project, Cosgrove Estate, Tayyib Homes, and Contrix Cube.
Director of Environmental Quality Control, Mr. Elijah Udofia, stated that NESREA had given the affected operators sufficient time to meet legal requirements, but they failed to comply.
He particularly criticized quarry operators for exceeding legal excavation depths. “The law allows only 3 metres, but some sites have reached 25 metres,” he said.
