The Mile 12 and Owode Onirin markets were jointly shut down due to unsanitary conditions and several environmental violations.
The closure was enforced by officers from the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI), following directives from the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
Wahab, who insisted on zero tolerance for filth in markets, said: “Recent events at Mile 12 and Owode Onirin markets have brought to light the pressing need for strict adherence to sanitation standards in our markets. The closure, though a difficult decision, is a necessary step to address the prevailing environmental challenges, and ensure the safety and well-being of all stakeholders.
“The closure of Mile 12 and Owode Onirin markets will enable stakeholders to assess the situation and improve public health and environmental sanity around those axes. Conditions in the markets have deteriorated to a point where immediate intervention became inevitable.”
The commissioner stressed that the enforcement action was not an isolated event, but part of a broader strategy to instill a culture of cleanliness and compliance with environmental regulations across the board for markets within the state. He urged traders and customers to prioritise hygiene and sustainable practices in their daily business activities.
Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the markets were shut for very severe unhygienic conditions and a litany of environmental infractions. He added that shutting them was necessary to force a proper clean-up and protect public health.
