Dozens of traders lost their livelihoods and property valued at millions of naira on Thursday after Lagos State government authorities demolished the Costain Market in a surprise enforcement operation.
A joint task force comprising officials from the Lagos State Task Force, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Kick Against Indiscipline brigade conducted the demolition under the supervision of Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transport.
According to eyewitness accounts provided to reporters, the operation commenced in the early afternoon hours when bulldozers accompanied by armed security personnel arrived at the market location.
Officials reportedly deployed teargas to disperse traders and bystanders before proceeding to demolish rows of commercial shops, temporary stalls and a nearby place of worship. The abrupt nature of the exercise created pandemonium as business owners attempted to salvage merchandise from the wreckage.
Multiple traders have claimed they received no advance notification of the impending demolition.
Alfred Wisdom, a snack manufacturer whose business was affected, estimated his losses at over five million naira in cash and inventory.
“The incident occurred approximately 1 p.m. while I was en route to Victoria Island for a delivery.
Upon observing Task Force vehicles approaching the area, I immediately returned to find my shop had been forcibly entered and my day’s sales removed. Authorities informed us our commercial activities were unauthorized. The situation is devastating,” Wisdom said.
He noted that the demolition followed a similar action several months earlier at the Otumara community, which reportedly displaced more than half a million residents.
“There appears to be a pattern of displacement. We were given no prior warning and no opportunity to secure our assets,” he said.
At the time of publication, the Lagos State Government had not issued an official statement regarding the rationale behind the demolition or whether any form of compensation would be provided to the displaced merchants.
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