The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed 21 facilities in Abuja for multiple environmental regulation breaches. The enforcement action, carried out on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, targeted several prominent real estate developers and quarry operations.

NESREA Director General, Professor Innocent Barikor, explained that the crackdown followed repeated unsuccessful attempts to secure compliance from the affected entities. "This is not about punishment; it's about protecting our environment and ensuring that operators adhere to the rules that govern sustainable development," Barikor stated while addressing journalists.

Major Violations Uncovered

According to NESREA, many of the sealed facilities failed to conduct the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before commencing operations. Some were also found operating on floodplains and other ecologically sensitive zones. The real estate sector was particularly highlighted as notorious for flouting environmental laws.

The agency's investigation, triggered by mounting public complaints, revealed that unchecked construction and quarrying activities were contributing to flooding, erosion, and land degradation in host communities.

List of Affected Facilities

The sealed facilities include several well-known names in the real estate and construction sectors:

- White Avenue Real Estate
- CCECC-FIRS
- Ochacho Real Homes
- Cosgrove Estate and its shopping mall project
- Belmont Court
- Mab Global Estate
- Constrix
- Tayyib Homes
- And 13 other facilities

Elijah Udofia, NESREA's Director of Environmental Quality Control, revealed that the agency had issued multiple notices and timelines for legal compliance but received minimal cooperation from the affected entities.

Dangerous Quarrying Practices

Udofia also highlighted alarming practices among quarry operators. "By law, quarry depth must not exceed three metres. However, some operators have dug as deep as 25 metres, posing grave environmental risks," he explained.

NESREA has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and safeguarding both ecological systems and public health. The agency emphasized that the enforcement action was necessary after written and physical attempts to secure compliance were ignored by the affected entities.

This development comes as environmental concerns continue to grow in Nigeria's rapidly expanding urban centers, particularly regarding sustainable development practices and adherence to regulatory frameworks.