The Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources has announced plans to demolish illegal markets and shanties under the Cele Bridge along the Lagos-Apapa Oshodi Expressway.
The decision, disclosed during an inspection tour by the Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, aims to address environmental and safety issues caused by the activities in the area. 
Describing the situation as a “societal menace,” Wahab noted the alarming level of criminal activities and indiscriminate waste disposal in the area.
“Criminal activities are ongoing. Therefore, we had to deploy our enforcement team to assess the situation, and the feedback was heart-wrenching for the ministry,” Wahab said.
The commissioner highlighted that beyond trading, the construction of makeshift shanties has worsened the environmental impact, with waste generated from the illegal activities being dumped into System 6C, a major drainage channel.
This blockage has rendered drainage cleaning efforts ineffective, leading to continuous flooding in the area.
“Nobody is saying you can’t have your markets. Your markets are for designated places and areas,” Wahab explained.
“When you have your market, shanties, or stores built on the drainage or parts of a channel like System 6C, you leave us with no other option but to instruct you to remove everything.”
Wahab revealed that affected traders had already been served quit notices last week.
The ministry is currently engaging with them to ensure compliance and expects evacuation to be completed by the weekend.
“They served a notice last week, so they will engage with them in the next few hours, and hopefully by the weekend, they should be able to move,” Wahab stated.
The commissioner emphasized that clearing the drainage system daily would be futile if waste dumping continues unabated.
“Even if we clean it up every day and they still go in, dump their waste, and behave badly every day, it’s just so bad,” he lamented.
While addressing concerns about alternative locations for traders, Wahab clarified that the provision of proper market spaces falls under the jurisdiction of local government authorities.
He urged the traders to work with the government to transition to designated markets to prevent further disruptions.
The Lagos State Government’s move is part of a broader initiative to improve sanitation, tackle flooding, and restore environmental order across the state.
Residents and traders are encouraged to adopt proper waste disposal practices and cooperate with government directives to ensure a cleaner, safer Lagos.
