Lagos targets more noisy churches, mosques

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Lagos State vows to seal more noisy churches and mosques violating noise pollution laws, an action backed by Christian and Islamic leaders in the state. Read More:…

The Lagos State Government has vowed to seal more religious centres and entertainment businesses violating its noise pollution regulations, as Christian and Islamic leaders backed the enforcement exercise, saying that places of worship must respect residents’ rights to peace and quiet.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Tunde Ajayi, told Sunday PUNCH that the agency would continue to sanction facilities exceeding permissible noise levels after investigations and necessary warnings.

However, while the Lagos chapters of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, alongside the Chief Imam of the Daaru Na’im Central Mosque in Lagos, Sheikh Imran Eleha, supported the government’s action, the National President of Jama’at Ta’awunil Muslimeen, Daood Molaasan, opposed the closure of worship centres, suggesting that the government should consider alternative measures.

This comes after state officials on Sunday sealed The All Christians Gathering Ministry in Surulere, Lagos, over alleged noise pollution, following complaints that its late-night activities disrupted residents’ sleep.

The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the closure in a post on X, saying an investigation confirmed that the church violated environmental regulations and constituted a nuisance to residents.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the church, located at No. 1, Ishola Street, off Clegg, Surulere, was sealed following a public appeal by an X user, DAVERY (@BigDavery), in the early hours of Saturday.

Accompanying videos of the noise, the user wrote, “Dear @tokunbo_wahab, It’s 1:31 am, and I can’t sleep. They’ve started again. I’m trying not to put the address out for security reasons but I can provide necessary details in a chat, call or email when you give me a go-ahead. It’s getting louder and I think it’s deliberate.”

The enforcement action generated controversy on social media, with some…

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