The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate closure of Oshodi Resettlement Market following an attack on officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps during an enforcement operation in the area.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the shutdown on Tuesday, stating that the decision followed violent resistance from traders who allegedly obstructed officials and aided hoodlums during the exercise.
According to him, the enforcement team was on duty to apprehend street beggars and suspected hoodlums when they were confronted and attacked by some traders in the market.
Wahab explained that the traders not only resisted arrests but also allegedly assaulted sanitation officers and damaged operational vehicles belonging to the agency.
He confirmed that the market had been sealed off as a result of the incident, describing the attack as a direct interference with government enforcement activities aimed at maintaining order and cleanliness in the state.
The closure is part of the state government’s broader drive to strengthen environmental compliance and curb activities contributing to public nuisance across Lagos.
In recent months, the government has intensified sanitation enforcement across major parts of the state, targeting indiscriminate waste disposal and other environmental violations.
As part of the renewed strategy, Lagos recently launched a Special Task Force involving transport unions to support monitoring and reporting of environmental infractions in public spaces such as roadsides, bus stops and motor parks.
Officials say the initiative is designed to encourage collaboration between government agencies and transport operators in maintaining urban cleanliness and discipline.
The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has also noted that the state generates an estimated 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, stressing the need for stricter compliance with waste disposal regulations.
The government has not yet announced when Oshodi Resettlement Market will be reopened but insisted that enforcement of environmental laws will continue across the state without exception.