Lagos clamps down on street trading, 15 traders arrested in crackdown

• Lagos State intensified enforcement against illegal street trading, targeting key traffic hotspots.
• Operations conducted at Ogudu Road, Iyana-Ipaja Under Bridge, and Egbeda Junction resulted in 15 arrests.
• Seized goods will be forfeited, and offenders are set to face court proceedings.

Lagos authorities moved decisively this week to restore order on the city’s busy roads, stepping up enforcement against street trading that has long disrupted traffic and endangered commuters. In coordinated operations, the state’s Environmental Task Force targeted areas notorious for illegal market activity, seizing goods and arresting 15 traders for violating regulations.

Targeting hotspots and reclaiming roads

According to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the operations focused on locations where traders had encroached on roadways, obstructing traffic flow and creating safety hazards.

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Key sites included Ogudu Road near Ojota Junction, Iyana-Ipaja Under Bridge, and Egbeda Junction. The commissioner emphasised that street trading remains illegal in Lagos and warned that enforcement would continue to be firm but fair.

Offenders are set to be arraigned in court, and all confiscated items will be forfeited to the state in line with the law. Authorities also used the enforcement exercise to remind residents and traders of their responsibilities, urging compliance to ensure safer, more accessible streets for everyone.

Reinforcing public safety

The crackdown forms part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety and public order in Africa’s largest city. With traffic congestion a perennial issue in Lagos, authorities stress that reclaiming public roads is essential not just for motorists but also for pedestrians and the overall urban environment. Officials indicated that such operations would continue across the state until illegal street trading is fully curtailed, signalling a renewed commitment to law enforcement and city management.