Officials from the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) conducted an enforcement operation, which led to the closure and sealing of specific establishments.

Some affected establishments included New Jerusalem Ark of God International Church and Yplus Event Centre.

To combat noise pollution, LASEPA advocates for strict adherence to recommended sound levels in establishments, including religious centers, nightclubs, bars, and event centers.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab disclosed this on X via a post.

The post reads: “The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) officials conducted an enforcement operation, which resulted in the closure and sealing off of specific establishments in areas including Lagos Island, Ojudu, Ogba, Magodo, and Ikosi, all due to concerns regarding noise pollution.

“Let’s Stand United Against Noise Pollution! To combat noise pollution, LASEPA advocates strict adherence to the recommended sound levels in establishments, including religious centres, nightclubs, bars, and events centers.”

The association made this call while condemning the deadly attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo Ondo state, and

The CAN’s Youth Wing, National Chairman, Belusochukwu Enwere, disclosed this in a somber statement on Monday, urging the Federal Government to urgently confront the increasing security threats in the country.

The organisation also urged the authorities not to relent, but to work tirelessly to ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were brought to book.

He said, “The Youth Wing Christian Association of Nigeria received with rude shock the attack on St. Francis Church, Owo, leading to the death of over 50 people and many with others injured.

“We are devastated, the nation is bleeding. This is evil, wicked, and monstrous act. To the entire Christian youths and Christians, Is a black Sunday.

“It is too heavy to bear. The body of Christ and the church is violated.

“Nigeria is bleeding and the entire nation are mourning. We call on all the entire Christian youths and by extension all Christians all over the world to observe three days mourning and for the souls of those killed and total recovery of the injured ones.

“The government must act now and ensure that the perpetrators are exposed and brought to book.

“I urge security agencies to commence full scale investigations in a bid to arrest the perpetrators of this dastardly act and to avoid recurrence

“We commiserate with the entire Christians and the Catholic community and pray to God to grant the departed souls eternal rest.

“Our heartfelt condolences to the Catholic community especially the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo and the entire Christians at large.”

The building collapsed around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday following a heavy storm while the service was progress.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that heavy rain which was later followed by a heavy storm led to the collapse of the church building around 9:30 a.m.

One of the members of the Church who was also a victim, Mr. Topohozin Tunde, told newsmen that six members of the church sustained serious injuries.

“I also sustained a serious knee injury, but thank God no life was lost.

“Just around 9:30 this morning, during the church service, there was a heavy storm which hit the church building, and before we could know what was happening, the whole church building collapsed.

“Some were able to escape, while about six of us sustained serious injuries,” he said.

Reports indicate that those who were badly injured have been taken to the General Hospital in Badagry for treatment.

The Christian body stated this, just as its appealed to Christians to continue to adhere to laid down protocols by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus.

The CAN’s General Secretary, Barrister Joseph Daramola, made this known in a statement on Monday.

The statement reads: “Brethren, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has announced the emergence of the second wave of the pandemic. We appeal to all our churches to observe all the COVID-19 protocols which include the following:

“There should be no entry without facemasks. All worshippers including the worship leaders must wear face masks. There should be no exceptional cases.

“People who are sick or too old should stay at home. There should be temperature screening at every entry point to the Church.

“Ensure adequate ventilation in halls of worship, open windows, and doors for air to circulate in and out freely and if possible avoid the use of air conditioners

“Hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers should be provided at point of entries and strategic points within the Church premises.

“Attendance should not exceed 1/3 of the sitting capacity of every Church. Churches can make use of their educational facilities and multi purpose halls to avoid overcrowding in the main church auditorium.

“Church auditorium should be clearly marked such that people sit and maintain two metres distance from each other.

“Practices that require sharing of materials should be limited. Those using microphones must sanitise their hands before use.

“Worship places should be disinfected routinely, before and after worship. Ensure separate entry and exit points in every Church to avoid overcrowding at entry and exit points.

“Every church should make use of medical personnel to assist. We should be praying for the end of the pandemic in all our worships and very soon, it will become history in Jesus Name”.

The service is in line with the three days of fasting and prayer organised by the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, which ends today, while the Islamic prayer was held on Friday in Abuja where special prayers were rendered against the deadly virus.

Recall that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday asked Christians and Muslims to embark on 3 days as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise across the country.

This comes as the nation records 603 more COVID-19 cases, raising the nation’s total confirmed infections above the 28,000 mark.

Meanwhile, Nigeria currently has a total number of 28,167 infections of the COVID-19 disease, with a fatality rate of 634.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the announcement during a press briefing on Tuesday.

InsideOjodu recalls that Sanwo-Olu had announced that Mosques will re-open on Friday, June 19 while churches will reopen on June 21.

However, Sanwo-Olu said the decision to cancel the reopening of religious centers is a result of the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the state, adding that the cancellation is indefinite.

Details to come…

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force, PTF on COVID-19, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, disclosed this on Thursday during their daily briefing in Abuja.

The guidelines put in place by the PTF earlier this week, include worshippers with health issues like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases staying at home, as well as vulnerable people, and those above 55 years should not be part of such religious gatherings.

Mustapha added that the task force would continue to explain the guidelines it issued to worship centres and other public places in order to ensure strict adherence.

He said, “As we approach the weekend, we remind the public to be aware of the guidelines set for restricted opening of places of worship.

“The PTF will continue to monitor the overall compliance to the easing of restriction as well as evolution of the outbreak.

“However, we will not hesitate to review as we progress, should the situation warrant, to avoid preventable risks of transmission.”

Sanwo-Olu made the announcement during a live broadcast while giving an update on the COVID-19 situation report in the state, held in Lagos House, Marina.

He said mosques are to reopen from June 19 while churches are to begin services from June 21.

The Governor said, “There will now be restricted openings of religious houses based on compliance that we have seen and reviewed with the Safety Commission.

“From 14 days time, precisely on the 19th of June for our Muslim worshippers and from the 21st of June for our Christian worshippers, we will be allowing all of our religious bodies to open at a maximum of 40% of their capacity and we’ll be working with them as being expected by the Lagos State Safety Commission.

“But we know that these places of worship have different sizes but even if your 40% capacity is really so large, you cannot have beyond 500 worshippers at once, and keeping that maximum 40% capacity is really important.

“We will be encouraging people to have more than one service and ensure that they keep their premises clean, disinfect before another round of worship can take place.

“We will also be advising that there should only be mandatory Fridays and Sunday services. All other night vigils and services must be put on hold for now until we review our current situation.

“We will also advise that there should be no food sharing and communion from a common dish should be discouraged during this period.

“Sharing of kettles during ablution should be avoided, prohibited if possible.

“We also encourage the use of stationary collection boxes and electronic payments.”

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said this during a press briefing on Thursday.

“In two weeks time, we would make a decision on the reopening of schools,” the governor said.

Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu also said manufacturing companies are allowed to operate between 7am and 6pm, adding that as from June 19 mosques will reopen, while churches can reopen as from June 21.

Gabriel Diya, 52, and his son Praise-Emmanuel Diya, 16, were named as the family members who died trying to save his daughter, 9-year-old Comfort Diya, after she became trapped in a resort pool on Christmas Eve, according to The Telegraph.

The family is based in London, but the teenage boy was traveling on a U.S. passport, the paper said.

Dad Diya, originally from Ile-Ife, Nigeria, was a pastor at Open Heavens in southeast London, part of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a Nigeria-based network of religious groups.

The group offered “prayers” as it confirmed the news with “heavy hearts” in a Facebook tribute. It added that Diya’s wife, Olubunmi — who witnesses said was desperately praying as CPR was administered to her husband and kids — is also an assistant pastor.

Diya and his teenage son are believed to have died after trying to save Comfort when she became trapped underwater at the Club La Costa World in Las Lagunas de Mijas near Málaga.

Police later found her swimming cap inside the pool’s pump system – suggesting the three family members may have been sucked to their deaths, according to reports.

Post-mortem exams ruled out poisoning in the water, and another family member — a 12-year-old girl — showed no symptoms of being harmed by chemicals despite also being in the pool, The Telegraph reported.