By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government has launched an all-out demolition exercise targeting street traders and illegal structures, sending shockwaves through affected areas.
The demolition follows the expiration of 48-hour ultimatum to traders occupying road medians from Ebute-Ero to Oja Oba in Lagos Island, warning them to vacate immediately or face enforcement action.
Acting on prior eviction notices, the enforcement team of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) stormed bustling commercial hubs from Ebute-Ero to Oja Oba, dismantling makeshift stalls, kiosks, and other unauthorised structures obstructing drainage systems and walkways.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed the operation, stating that it aligns with the state’s resolve to maintain a cleaner, flood-free Lagos.
“This is about enforcement and ensuring that our city remains habitable. We have given ample warnings, and today, we are taking action,” Wahab declared.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of traders scrambling to salvage their goods as government officials, flanked by security operatives, cleared out structures that had long encroached on public spaces.
Some affected traders lamented the loss of their livelihoods, pleading for alternative spaces to conduct their businesses.
While the government insists the exercise is necessary to tackle flooding and urban congestion, the move has sparked debates over its impact on small-scale traders struggling to survive in the harsh economic climate.
As the crackdown continues, Wahab has urged Lagosians to desist from indiscriminate waste disposal and illegal trading on drainage paths, emphasising that a collective effort is needed to build a more resilient metropolis.
