Lagos Taskforce Clears Iyana-Iba, Arrests 21 for Street Trading and Illegal Ticketing

The Lagos State Environmental and Enforcement unit (Taskforce) Thursday, carried out a major cleanup and enforcement operation in the Iyana-Iba and Ojo areas, aimed at tackling street trading, illegal ticketing, unauthorized road blockages, and other environmental violations. 

The operation focused on newly constructed roads and adjoining areas along the Lagos-Badagry expressway, where "recalcitrant" street traders were causing nuisance and obstructing traffic flow by displaying goods on highways and walkways.

The Director of Public Affairs, Taskforce, Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that during the raid, a total of 21 suspects were arrested, comprising 15 males and 6 females. All goods and wares displayed on the roads were immediately confiscated, and sanity was restored to the affected area

“The arrested individuals were charged to court. Suspects found guilty of obstructing government officials were sentenced to two months of community service at the Badagry correctional centre”

“ The confiscated goods were forfeited to the state in line with the State's Environmental Sanitation Law of 2017 and Transport Sectors Reform Law of 2018” Gbadeyan said

The Chairman of the Agency, Olutayo Akerele, that warned that trading on highways impedes the free flow of traffic and increases travel time for motorists.

He firmly enjoined all street traders, illegal ticketers, and operators of unapproved bus stops to desist henceforth or face decisive legal action.