Oluwafunbi Bello 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government has launched a major clearance operation at Tejuosho Market, Yaba, in a bid to restore environmental order and enforce strict compliance with sanitation laws.
The exercise, carried out on Tuesday by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda aimed at creating a cleaner, safer and more organised Lagos.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the government would not allow public spaces to deteriorate. “We will continue to enforce environmental laws and demand full compliance across the state,” he stated.
Ajayi Lukman, Head of Public Affairs and Advocacy at the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC/KAI), said the enforcement followed months of unresolved complaints from residents. According to him, traders ignored repeated directives, abandoned their designated shops and extended trading activities onto walkways and road setbacks.
He said the illegal extensions blocked two lanes of the major road, forcing motorists to use only one. Lukman added that although market leaders later apologised, “there is no going back on enforcement.”
Corps Marshal of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd.), condemned persistent environmental violations, including open defecation, open urination and indiscriminate waste disposal. He urged residents to support government efforts, warning that poor environmental habits contribute significantly to declining air quality in parts of Lagos.
The state government says the operation will continue until full order is restored, with agencies expected to maintain constant monitoring to prevent a recurrence.
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Mirian Gom 
Chukwu Obinna 
