The Lagos State Government has launched a major clearance operation at Tejuosho Market in Yaba after traders repeatedly ignored several warnings to vacate walkways, setbacks and public roads.
The enforcement, led by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, began on Monday and follows months of petitions and failed engagement efforts with traders who allegedly converted public spaces into an illegal market corridor.
According to the Head of Public Affairs and Advocacy at the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI), Ajayi Lukman, officials had served multiple notices to the traders over the past three months, but the traders continued to obstruct traffic and violate environmental regulations.
He said the decision to finally clear the area became necessary after traders abandoned their designated shops and blocked two out of three lanes, forcing motorists to struggle through a single narrow passage.
“Their executives even came today to apologise, but the operation will continue. There is no going back,” Lukman stated.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the move aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda to maintain a clean, orderly and safe environment across Lagos.
He emphasized that public spaces must remain free of obstruction and that the state will intensify enforcement to ensure environmental compliance.
Corps Marshal of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), also warned that activities such as open urination, open defecation, and indiscriminate waste disposal continue to threaten air quality and public health in parts of the state. He urged residents and traders to support efforts to keep Lagos cleaner and more habitable.
