The Lagos State Government has vowed to seal more churches, mosques and entertainment establishments found violating noise pollution regulations, insisting that no institution would be exempted from environmental laws.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Tunde Ajayi, said the agency would continue to sanction facilities exceeding permissible noise levels after investigations and the issuance of necessary warnings.

Ajayi disclosed this in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, explaining that the regulations applied to all establishments using public address systems and were not designed to target religious organisations.

He said residential areas were permitted noise levels of 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night, adding that facilities recently sealed had ignored two previous warnings from the agency.

The LASEPA chief urged residents to report genuine cases of noise pollution, assuring them that complaints would be investigated before enforcement measures were taken.

He also warned that mosques could face sanctions where calls to prayer exceeded the five-minute limit stipulated by the state.

The renewed enforcement followed the sealing of The All Christians Gathering Ministry in Surulere after residents complained that its late-night activities disrupted their sleep.

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

The action generated reactions on social media, with some users accusing the government of targeting churches and selectively enforcing environmental laws.

However, Wahab dismissed the allegations, maintaining that the exercise was not directed at any religious group. He also shared a photograph of Ifelodun Mosque, which was sealed during an enforcement operation.

Reacting to the development, the Lagos State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, supported the enforcement, saying churches had no justification for disturbing residents with excessive noise.

Adegbite said the Christian body had consistently sensitised its members on regulating loudspeakers and respecting the rights of people living around religious centres.

He maintained that churches should adjust their sound systems to suit their congregations and neighbourhoods, particularly during late-night services and vigils.

Similarly, the Lagos State Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Pastor Yemi Davids, said the organisation supported the regulations and was working with the state government to address complaints involving churches.

Davids explained that the PFN's Directorate of Intergovernmental Relations had engaged government representatives and other stakeholders, resulting in an arrangement for complaints against churches to be referred to the fellowship for investigation before enforcement.

He said the arrangement allowed the organisation to contact affected pastors, establish the facts and encourage compliance where violations were confirmed.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, Kayode Ajala, also backed the government's action, arguing that freedom of worship should not be exercised in ways that infringe on the rights of others.

He urged religious organisations to respect the residential nature of their locations and avoid activities that disrupt the peace of neighbouring communities.

The Chief Imam of Daaru Na'im Central Mosque in Lagos, Sheikh Imran Eleha, equally supported the enforcement, warning against using religion to threaten or blackmail the government over the exercise.

Eleha said Islamic teachings did not permit worshippers to inconvenience their neighbours, adding that external loudspeakers should primarily be used for the call to prayer at appropriate times.

He also condemned midnight religious activities involving excessive noise, urging both churches and mosques to ensure that their worship practices did not disturb surrounding residents.

However, the National President of Jama'at Ta'awunil Muslimeen, Daood Molaasan, opposed the closure of worship centres, describing the measure as extreme.

Molaasan urged the government to consider alternative approaches, including engaging religious leaders, issuing warnings and restricting noisy night vigils rather than shutting down churches and mosques.

He warned that closing worship centres could create resentment among religious communities and called for measures that would compel compliance without disrupting religious activities.