Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The Federal Government has stepped up its enforcement of environmental regulations, as the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed off four facilities in Nasarawa State over alleged pollution and other environmental violations.
The affected facilities are ABZAT Quarry, Hoafong Mining Trading Company Ltd, Emono Venture and Mivanyi Integrated Farms.
The enforcement operation, conducted on Thursday by officials of NESREA’s Karu Operational Office, was led by the Head of Operations, Mr. Da’am Monday.
NESREA said the facilities were shut down for breaches of environmental standards, including pollution-related offences and failure to comply with prescribed regulatory requirements.
The action is part of the agency’s continuing nationwide enforcement drive aimed at compelling industrial, mining, quarrying and other operators to comply with environmental laws and prevent activities capable of endangering public health and degrading the environment.
The latest crackdown is particularly significant in Nasarawa, where mining and quarrying activities have expanded in recent years, raising concerns over their potential consequences for air quality, land, water resources and communities located around extraction and processing sites.
Quarrying and mining activities can generate dust and other air pollutants, noise and vibration, while poorly managed operations may also contribute to land degradation and contamination of surrounding areas.
NESREA, established by law to enforce environmental standards, regulations and guidelines, has the statutory responsibility to monitor regulated activities and take enforcement action against operators whose activities threaten environmental quality.
The agency has increasingly deployed facility closures as an enforcement measure, particularly where operators allegedly continue to disregard environmental requirements.
In September 2025, NESREA sealed off 29 facilities across Ekiti, Osun and Ogun States over alleged environmental pollution and regulatory violations. The agency said some of the affected recycling facilities posed serious health and environmental risks because of hazardous waste generated by their operations.
The agency has also intensified its monitoring of quarrying activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In February 2026, NESREA shut down a quarry in Abuja following a fatal blasting incident involving a 10-year-old boy. Officials said the quarry had previously been sealed off during enforcement operations.
The successive enforcement actions reflect the government’s broader effort to ensure that economic activities do not come at the expense of environmental protection and the safety of host communities.
For operators in the extractive and industrial sectors, compliance with environmental regulations is increasingly becoming a condition for continued operation rather than a mere administrative requirement.
NESREA has warned regulated facilities to adopt environmentally responsible practices and deploy appropriate technologies capable of reducing pollution and other harmful environmental impacts.
The agency said its enforcement activities were aimed at safeguarding the environment, protecting public health and promoting sustainable development.
The Nasarawa operation consequently sends a strong warning to mining, quarrying, agricultural and other industrial operators that the Federal Government is prepared to sanction facilities found operating in breach of environmental standards.
The agency’s continuing crackdown also underscores the need for businesses to maintain proper environmental management systems, comply with applicable standards and ensure that their operations do not expose surrounding communities to avoidable environmental and health hazards.