The Lagos State Government says it has launched a manhunt for suspected hoodlums who attacked and injured four officials of the State Environmental Sanitation Corps during an enforcement operation at a restaurant in the Victoria Island area.

The government also said it had arrested the supervisor of the restaurant and sealed the facility until further notice.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday.

According to him, a joint team of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office and the environmental sanitation corps had visited the restaurant for a follow-up enforcement after the facility was earlier sealed for allegedly discharging untreated wastewater, fats and oils into the environment.

Wahab said that upon arrival, the team discovered that the government seal had been broken.

He stated that hoodlums from the restaurant attacked the enforcement officers, injuring four of them.

A video shared by Wahab showed several men engaging the officials in a free-for-all while throwing items suspected to be bottles. One of the officers was seen with a wound on his forehead and blood stains on his body.

Wahab wrote, “In a follow-up joint enforcement operation carried out today, December 10, 2025, by the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps to enforce environmental standards, hoodlums from Yakoyo Abula Restaurants, Victoria Island, attacked KAI officers and injured four during the operation.

“The restaurant not only broke the government seal, but they went further to unleash armed thugs on officials who were lawfully carrying out their duties. This crosses every line.”

He warned that any business or individual who assaults, obstructs or threatens government officers on duty would face decisive action, adding that such premises would be sealed and those involved prosecuted.

The commissioner said the government had begun a manhunt for the hoodlums, while the restaurant supervisor had been arrested.

“We will not allow lawlessness to take root in Lagos. No one is above the law, and any attempt to intimidate government officials will be met with firm and immediate consequences.

“The supervisor of the restaurant was arrested, and the facility was sealed until further notice, while further arrests will be made to identify the perpetrators of this unlawful act,” Wahab said.

This is not the first time environmental officers have been attacked.