NESREA Seals 35 Abuja Estates Over Alleged Environmental Violations

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed 35 estates in Abuja over alleged violations of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations and other environmental compliance requirements.

Director-General of NESREA, Innocent Barikor, disclosed this after the enforcement exercise, saying the agency is mandated to enforce laws protecting air, water, land, biodiversity, and public health. He was represented by the Director of Environmental Quality Control, Elijah Udofia.

Barikor explained that the construction sector poses significant environmental risks when developers ignore established safeguards, citing poor waste management, development on flood plains, and construction activities in ecologically sensitive areas as major concerns.

He said the affected estate developers were linked to uncontrolled dust and emissions, unsafe handling of construction materials and chemicals, poor site drainage, erosion, sedimentation, and other harmful impacts on surrounding communities.

According to him, the National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations 2011 place clear obligations on developers and construction operators regarding environmental management, proper documentation, and responsible site operations.

He noted that the enforcement action followed routine inspections and compliance monitoring, which uncovered multiple violations across the affected estates. Some operators, he said, failed to provide required environmental documentation and did not respond adequately to regulatory engagements.

Barikor stressed that failure to meet clearly communicated and time-bound compliance requirements constitutes a serious breach that threatens environmental safety and public health.

He added that the enforcement measures were backed by the provisions of the NESREA Act 2018 (as amended) and relevant construction sector regulations.

The NESREA boss urged developers, contractors, and site operators to cooperate with the agency by fulfilling all regulatory obligations, stressing that environmental documentation is a legal requirement, not an option.

He added that improved compliance would enhance environmental performance in the construction sector while ensuring safer communities and more predictable regulatory processes.