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Establishing factors that affect contaminants including potentially toxic metals in a freshwater and its surrounding soil is necessary to control the transfer of toxins into the food chain. We documented the seasonality in temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, and water color on the behavior of toxic metals in water and soil of Lake Nike. Slope and seasons statistically related significantly (p < 0.05) with DO and SOC. Only Ni was not statistically related significantly to pH, water color, and temperature of the water, while mercury and cadmium statistically related significantly to the soil pH. Temperature and pH were within the WHO safety limits which are 20–32 °C and 6.5–8.5, respectively, in both water and soil samples. Potentially toxic metals levels for lead (Pb) (0.47–2.10 mg/L), mercury (Hg) (0.57–2.01 mg/L), cadmium (Cd) (0.34–1.82 mg/L), and nickel (Ni) (0.56–2.09 mg/L) exceeded the 0.01, 0.001, 0.003, and 0.02 mg/L WHO safety limits, respectively, while Zinc (Zn) level which ranged from 0.24 to 2.51 mg/L was within the WHO limit (5 mg/L) and the standard organization of Nigeria (SON) limit (3.0 mg/L) in both seasons. From our study, Lake Nike could be relatively toxic, and unsafe for aquatic habitation and human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]