Update: Court Adjourns Hearing of Environmental Pollution Charge Against Mike Adenuga, Glo Till Mar. 17
The hearing of alleged environmental pollution charges filed against a Nigeria businessman, Chief Mike Adenuga (Junior) and his telecommunication company, Globacom Limited, by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, (NESREA), has been adjourned till March 17.
The Federal Government of Nigeria through NESREA had dragged Chief Adenuga (Junior) and his company before a Lagos Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Muhammad Liman, over alleged environmental pollution.
The Federal Government in a charge numbered FHC/L/51C/2020, had alleged that “Globacom is constructing and operating telecom masts without conducting site-specific Environmental Audit in violation of Section 5 (2) of the National Environmental (Standards for Telecommunication and Broadcast Facilities) Regulations, 2011.”
The charge against both Adenuga and his company reads: “that you Globacom Limited of Mike Adenuga Towers, Mike Adenuga Close, Victoria Island, Lagos and You Mr Mike Adenuga (Jnr), the Managing Director of Globacom Ltd of the same address operate Base Transceiver Stations (BTS)/ Masts described as LGS351, situated at 20 Owolegbon Street Atunrase Estate, Gbagada, LGS457 situated at No. 8 Adebisi Okunwa Oladapo Avenue, Along Command Road, Magodo, LGS443 situated at River Valley Estate, Behind Unilag Estate, Magodo GRA, LGS376 situated at 31 Olaosebikan Street, Agility Mile 12, LGS393 situated at No 1 Bisi Obadina Street, Omole Phase 1, LGS109 situated at Open Space, behind Total Filling Station, LGS096 situated at 17, Church Street, Magodo Isheri Phase 1, LGS020 situated at Plot 3 Akinlabake Street, Akere Estate Oworonshoki Lagos, LGS021 situated at No 4, Kolawle Eboda Street, off Ogunseinde Street, Ketu, LGS025 situated at Plot 8, Tony Asije Street, Ogudu GRA, Lagos, LAG862 situated at 11/13 Jesus Street, Ifako Gbagada, LAG804 situated at 22b, Eluku Road, Agbowa Ikosi all in Lagos State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without conducting site specific Environmental Audit of any of the base transceiver stations. You hereby commit an offence contrary to section 5(2) of the National Environmental (Standards for Telecommunications and Broadcast Facilities) Regulations, 2011 and punishable under Section 11 (2) of the same Regulations”.
However, the Defendants’ arraignment which was fixed for today, failed to proceed as scheduled, due to the court’s judges meeting.
Consequently, by the agreement of B. Ladapo and A. I. Adepoju, counsel to the prosecution and defence respectively, the matter was adjourned till next week Wednesday, March 17.