The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, has shut down the Lord’s Chosen Church, two other churches and two mosques across Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, over noise pollution.
LASEPA officials, backed up by the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit stormed the affected churches and mosques today and shut them down for refusing to comply with the environmental laws of the state.
The affected churches are The Christ Chosen Church, Onipanu and Evangelical Apostolic Church. The affected mosques are Darusalam Mosque at Sabo, Yaba and Ayegbesin Mosque at Mafoluku, Oshodi.
The team was led by Mr Kayode Bello, a senior government official at LASEPA.
General Manager, LASEPA, Engr Rasheed Shabi said the affected places of worship were shut down over noise pollution as people in their vicinity had complained about the unabating noise.
He said they were served abatement notices for them to remove the horns and loud speakers outside their churches in order not to disturb the public.
Shabi added that the affected places of worship failed to comply with the abatement notices.
He stated that government had no choice than to shut them down.
According to him, the affected worship centres would not be opened until they comply with the environmental laws of the state as regards noise pollution. Last week, Shabi had said that some of the churches tended to blackmail the state government for closing down their worship centres for not complying with the laws of the state.
He said sensitisation was still ongoing to let the churches know that they do not have to constitute nuisance to their environment and that they could use inbuilt speakers.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga
PM News
Pls dis has noting 2 do wit Boko Haram! I hpe dey knw dis pls ooo
Fashola beware. This peoples want to land u in trouble so that God will leave u. Let them leave the worship centre and tell them to adjust their program. Elsee. . . . .. .
Noise pollution causes environmental harzard. Lagos state govt, issued the notice before now to worship places and others who generate noise to remove their loudspeakers/horns to avoid prosecution. Some churches and mosques have responded positively, those who might be ignorant of d law or want to prove stubborn ‘ll face d music accordingly.
@Toyin J forget about God leaving Fashola for closing down churches and mosques over noise polution. God is not a man to react that way. This people had been served notices to cry out loud and you are still talking about telling them to adjust their program, who cares about their programs all the authority is saying is remove those horn speakers outside but continue using the in-house ones with moderation. I say kudos to Fashola’s administration God is solidly behind you keep up the good work. For the erring churches and mosques God cannot be happy with them for disobeying constituted authority remember that God put them there.
keep it on de goodwork mr. Fashola, in de name of religion people can not hear word again, hw i wish it happen in abuja here, i would be happy.
That is better.they should get an inbuilt speaker.d one near my house sef i could not sleep d day of their vigil
The law of the state must B obey
Good work Fasola, even in the bible there is law to follow and lagos state has law for the citizen living in lagos to abide with, if some groups of people did not abide with it then they should face the law accordingly.
Because we live in this part of the world where anything goes that’s y churchs which have become so numerous would emit so much noise so that can make one go deaf. Imagine if u head two churches in ur street. Abeg no sentiment about the issue. Simple instruction comot una external speaker otan.
Actualy,d churches and mosque should av comply to d orders.but come to think of it,is it godly enough to close down a place of worship to GOD.
Gov. Fashola, u are right. Dey can read Mt. 6:5-14. Here He demands dat we shld go 2 our rms, close de dor and pray 2 Him n silent. Our GOD is nt deaf.
Abeg worship centers in Lagos should pls stop constituting a nuisance. They should also be asked 2 move their buildings a resinosable distance 4rm places of residence.
THIS IS A GOOD CHECK. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. EKO RI ISE OWO RE. GOD IS SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU
Honestly, this issue of worshippers not showing consideration to their neighbours has assumed an embarrassing proportion.LASEPA should pay a visit to Palm Avenue in Mushin. Churches are now inplanted in residental buildings with noise from drums, generators the worshippers denying other tenant occupants of peace 24/7 including night vigil.
LASEPA just need to scan this avenue.
Mr fasola people are pushing you against word of God you must becareful in other not to be perished alive,are you the first governor to rule in lagos state,remember what you told then before they voted for you.now mosque are now disturb you .idiot
mfar guday i beleif strongly u dnt kw me, dis website is nt an avenue to drop any hw cooment regardin so many people listens to it bt dey truth of d matter is dat fashola is doin a great job if nt for nigeria dat anything goes…u should b charged to court for cursin an envirounmental pollution u see am nt an Adventist bt the best place to worship God is wit Adventist …..so my dear i wil nt blame u if a sabth church is close to u”u wil nt cal fashola an idiot
Do they meet every day?hw mani hours do dey spend?its unfair to close down a church all in d name of polution,if they are dis powerful they should ask d Boko haram to stop bombin
I believe dat nigeria is under developed country ind d world. Mr governor sir,u are nt 2 be blame becos u hv work positively in lagos and people are praising u 4 d well work u hv done. I believe dat a nation witout law is nation witout sin. Bt once a notice has bn passed 2 d churches and mosques,dey hv 2 obey d law of d government. To d evironmental officer,pls shuting down d house of worship is nt d best tin 2 do,2 my own knowledge wat u shld hv done is 2 visit d church during their service and gv dem a word of advice ova d speaker horn.pls let make nigeria a beta place.i believe is nt only nigerians dat are worshiping in dat places of worship.
The word of God says give all what belongs to Ceasar to Ceasar.if Jesus Christ can preach to 5000 men without the use of mic and speakers then our churchs and mosques can cultivate the habit of minimizing their noise and complying to the rules of LASEPA .And to the law agents please sketch out alternative rather than locking up the house of God .more grease to your elbows Gov Fashola.