Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Lagos State Government, through a joint enforcement team comprising the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), the Lagos State Environmental Task Force, Mobile Police, and military personnel, has intensified the ongoing clearance operation along the Badagry Expressway. The exercise, which continued on Monday, 6 July 2026, targeted illegal squatters, shanties, makeshift structures, and vehicles illegally occupying the median and public spaces between the Lagos State University (LASU) Gate and Okokomaiko.
According to a statement shared via its official X handle on Monday, LAWMA disclosed that the operation focused on removing illegal occupiers and structures obstructing the corridor as part of sustained efforts to restore order, improve environmental sanitation, and enhance the free flow of traffic along one of Lagos's busiest highways. "The clearance operation along the Badagry Expressway continued from LASU Gate to Okokomaiko, where illegal occupiers and structures were removed to restore order and improve the corridor," the agency said.
The enforcement drive followed a directive issued by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday, 27 June 2026, which reaffirmed the state government's zero-tolerance policy against encroachment on road medians, indiscriminate parking, and other activities that impede traffic flow and threaten public safety. During the June sanitation exercise, the Governor had declared that all illegal structures on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway median, from Orile-Iganmu to Okokomaiko, would be demolished to preserve the integrity of the highway corridor. He also gave occupants a 72-hour ultimatum to vacate the area ahead of the planned enforcement.
In a related development, LASTMA deployed towing vehicles to remove several cars parked illegally on the median, restoring the right-of-way and improving traffic movement along the expressway. LAWMA noted that the exercise was carried out in collaboration with LASTMA, with enforcement teams also removing vehicles that had been illegally using the median as a parking area. Demolition activities and the evacuation of debris progressed across the affected locations as part of the broader initiative to reclaim public spaces, ease traffic congestion, and improve environmental sanitation across Lagos.
During the exercise, some miscreants attempted to disrupt the operation by attacking members of the enforcement team. However, the situation was swiftly brought under control through the intervention of Mobile Police officers and military personnel, with no casualties recorded, and the clearance exercise continued uninterrupted. The multi-agency operation underscores the Lagos State Government's coordinated approach to environmental sanitation, traffic management, and public safety.
Authorities have stated that the exercise will continue until the entire corridor is fully cleared and reclaimed. Residents, motorists, and business owners have been urged to cooperate with enforcement agencies and refrain from activities that undermine public infrastructure or obstruct the free flow of traffic. Enforcement teams will remain on the corridor to ensure sustained compliance and prevent a return of illegal activities.
The ongoing exercise forms part of sustained efforts to reclaim public spaces, improve traffic flow, and create a cleaner, safer environment for all road users. The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to sustaining the operation until the entire corridor is fully reclaimed and restored. The enforcement drive comes amid growing concerns over indiscriminate waste disposal and the misuse of public infrastructure in several parts of Lagos, with the government intensifying enforcement of environmental laws following Governor Sanwo-Olu's directive to LAWMA, LASEPA, and the Ministry of the Environment to intensify waste evacuation and environmental enforcement.
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