The Lagos State Government has arrested a resident of Iju Station in the Ifako-Ijaiye area for illegally converting his home into a slaughter facility following the recent closure of the Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on Monday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

In a video attached to the post, the yet-to-be-identified man was seen threatening his neighbours in Yoruba after officers of Kick Against Indiscipline led him to their truck.

He said, “…If I come back, you will accept GOD as your boss…”

Wahab stated that the enforcement team acted swiftly after receiving reports from a concerned citizen about the illegal operation at No. 12 Alfred Williams Street in Iju Station.

He said, “Following reports from a concerned citizen, our enforcement team has taken immediate action at No. 12, Alfred Williams Street in Iju Station.”

According to the commissioner, the suspect had converted his residential property into an abattoir, posing serious environmental and public health risks to the neighbourhood.

“The property owner had illegally converted his residence into an abattoir following the closure of Oko-Oba Abattoir, endangering the entire neighbourhood through unhygienic practices and profiting from this reckless operation,” he added.

Wahab noted that the suspect is now in custody and the premises have been sealed.

“This swift response demonstrates our zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of environmental violations, whether in designated facilities or residential areas,” Wahab said.

He encouraged Lagos residents to continue partnering with the government by reporting illegal activities that threaten the environment.

“To all Lagosians, your vigilance makes our work possible.

“Continue reporting illegal activities via designated means.

“Together, we’ll protect our communities and maintain a #CleanerLagos,” the commissioner said.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported the closure of the Oko-Oba Abattoir by the state government over what it described as environmental infractions and inappropriate operational standards.

Wahab, during an inspection tour of the facility last Thursday, condemned the poor state of the abattoir and criticised its operators.