Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Oshodi Resettlement Market following a violent attack on officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) during an enforcement operation in the area. Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the shutdown on Tuesday, stating that traders at the bustling commercial hub not only obstructed officers from carrying out their lawful duties but also actively aided hoodlums and street beggars who vandalised government vehicles. The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing friction between enforcement agencies and commercial operators in Nigeria's commercial capital.
According to Wahab, LAGESC officers, popularly known as KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline), were conducting a routine operation to apprehend suspected hoodlums and street beggars when they came under attack. Traders at the market allegedly prevented officials from making arrests and subsequently assaulted personnel, while operational vehicles belonging to the agency were damaged. “The Oshodi Resettlement Market has been shut down. Traders at the market attacked officers and personnel of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps and prevented them from arresting hoodlums and beggars who vandalised the agency's operational vehicles during an enforcement operation earlier today,” the commissioner said in a statement posted on his official X handle. A video shared by the commissioner showed LAGESC operatives patrolling the locked market premises while enforcing the closure order.
The Oshodi Resettlement Market is one of the busiest trading centres in Lagos, serving thousands of traders and commuters daily in the commercial district. Its closure comes amid renewed efforts by the state government to strengthen environmental enforcement and tackle activities contributing to public nuisance and poor sanitation across Lagos. Only recently, the government inaugurated a Special Task Force involving transport unions to curb indiscriminate waste dumping on roads, bus stops, garages and other public spaces. Speaking during the inauguration, Wahab said members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria would serve as environmental monitors and assist in reporting sanitation violations.
Tuesday's closure is the latest in a series of enforcement actions by the Lagos State Government as it intensifies efforts to tackle environmental violations, street trading and other activities it considers detrimental to public order. Earlier this year, authorities shut the Ladipo Spare Parts Market in Mushin, citing environmental concerns, while the Itedo Market in Lekki was also closed in 2025 over similar allegations. The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has noted that Lagos generates about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, stressing the need to prevent illegal dumping and other environmental infractions. The latest development is also likely to revive discussions about government regulation of commercial activities in Oshodi, a district that has undergone extensive redevelopment over the past decade.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, had earlier emphasised that addressing environmental abuse required collaboration between government agencies and transport unions, warning that offenders would face sanctions. Similarly, Deputy Chief of Staff Sam Egube urged stakeholders to support efforts to keep the state clean and secure. The sanitation officers have repeatedly defended enforcement operations in the Oshodi area as necessary to improve sanitation, security and traffic management. However, officials of the market were yet to publicly respond to the allegations as of Tuesday evening.
The government has yet to indicate when the market will be reopened, but maintained that enforcement of environmental laws would continue across the state. Wahab did not say whether any arrests were made following the incident or whether any officials sustained injuries. He also did not indicate how long the market would remain closed, but said investigations and other enforcement actions were ongoing. The incident occurred during an enforcement exercise conducted in the Oshodi area on Monday. As of Tuesday evening, the Lagos State Government had not released further details on the damage allegedly caused to KAI vehicles or possible sanctions against those involved in the confrontation. For now, one of Lagos's busiest commercial hubs remains shuttered—a stark reminder of the government's determination to enforce environmental laws, regardless of the economic cost.
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