The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its resolve to permanently clear illegal traders and squatters from the Okokomaiko–Orile road median, saying the corridor is reserved for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit project and must remain free from encroachment.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known on Wednesday while inspecting the ongoing enforcement exercise aimed at removing illegal structures and commercial activities along the busy highway.
Wahab said the government had engaged the occupants repeatedly over the years without achieving lasting compliance, stressing that the continued occupation of the road median would no longer be tolerated.
He described the encroachment as an abuse of public infrastructure built with taxpayers’ money, adding that the government would sustain regular patrols to prevent the displaced occupants from returning.
According to him, the wide road median was deliberately designed to accommodate the Lagos Rail Mass Transit project and must be protected for its intended purpose.
The commissioner also urged residents to embrace proper waste disposal by using their designated Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operators, warning against indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads, medians and other public spaces. He advised residents to report any failure in waste collection to the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
Wahab further disclosed that the state government is stepping up sanitation enforcement across markets, warning that market leaders and traders must ensure their trading environments remain clean.
He revealed that more than 100 offenders had been prosecuted in the past year for road median encroachment and other environmental violations, stressing that enforcement of environmental laws would continue without fear or favour.
The commissioner reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting critical public infrastructure, preserving the alignment for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit project, improving environmental sanitation and ensuring Lagos remains a clean, resilient and sustainable city.