Lagos Gov’t Shuts Cubana Chief Priest’s Fast Food Outlet

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has sealed Donald’s Fast Food, a popular restaurant owned by socialite Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, over allegations of persistent noise pollution and environmental violations.

The closure was announced by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab via his X (formerly Twitter) social media handle, on Sunday.

Wahab stated that the outlet, located on Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki Phase 1, was shut down after repeatedly failing to comply with environmental regulations despite numerous warnings and abatement notices issued by the agency.

“After several warnings and abatement notices, LASEPA sealed Donald’s Fast Food on Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki 1 over noise pollution and other environmental infractions,” Wahab shared.

The Commissioner also shared a video recorded by a resident at 2 a.m. that same Sunday, capturing the loud music blaring from the fast food outlet-turned-nightclub, further underscoring the disturbance caused in the otherwise quiet residential neighborhood.

According to LASEPA, the decision to seal the establishment was made following ongoing complaints from residents in the area about the level of noise emanating from the restaurant.

Despite attempts to address the situation through formal warnings, the violations reportedly continued, prompting the agency to take decisive action.

Recall that the Lagos State government has been stepping up its efforts to enforce environmental laws across the state, particularly in the areas of noise pollution, improper waste management, and other infractions that affect the quality of life for residents.

The case may highlight deficiencies in approving non-complementary land uses, such as a nightclub in a residential area, but Lagos State has clear regulations addressing noise pollution.

The National Environmental Standards & Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), enforced by LASEPA, specified the maximum allowable noise levels in residential areas, noise must not exceed 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night.

For industrial areas, the limit is 90 decibels during the day, while commercial areas are restricted to 70 decibels during the day.

Additionally, religious houses, clubhouses, and entertainment venues are required to operate within enclosed, soundproofed spaces, with strict control over speaker usage to minimise disturbances to surrounding residents.

Such venues must also limit the number of internal speakers to ensure they only cater to their immediate audience without causing noise disruptions to the wider community.

As part of this crackdown, LASEPA reiterated its commitment to ensuring businesses in Lagos adhere strictly to environmental regulations or face penalties, including closure.