Lagos State Government Monday closed down Ladipo market, reputed to be West Africa’s largest auto spare parts market over what it described as proven cases of environmental nuisance and abused of public installations.Officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit sealed off the multi-billion market almost one week after Commissioner for Environment; Mr. Tunji Bello, inspected the market and established gross abuse of public infrastructure and utilities.

Consequent upon the unacceptable use of the market, operatives of the taskforce took over and cordoned off the entire area as early as 4 a.m., thereby preventing both traders and buyers from gaining entrance.Chairman of the taskforce, Mr. Bayonle Suleiman, led security operatives to effect the closure of the market, where about ten members of a South-east anti-crime vigilante group, Bakassi Boys, were arrested.Restive traders were denied access to the market by taskforce officials with several canisters of teargas shot in the air to ward off the traders as hundreds of policemen kept the them at bay. An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed at the Toyota end of the expressway, while the area was barricaded with fierce looking officers of  the taskforce and Rapid Respond Squad (RRS).

Speaking with the journalists, Sulaiman said the state government had lots of issues with the market, ranging from hooliganism, lack of toilet facilities, degradation of the environment with diesel and fuel products. He added that the traders in the market formed another government.He explained that the taskforce officials came  to the market two weeks ago, but the leaders of the market did not show up.“There are serious trading going on  in the streets and there are lots of shanties here. We will make sure that this time around, proper sanitation is done by the traders before this market will be re-opened and they have to submit to the Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area,”  the task force boss said.At this instance, Bello said the state government ordered the closure of Ladipo Market after several meetings and warnings with the market leadership and traders about the deteriorating state of the market.

He added that the environment “is seriously polluted and degraded with oil; surrounding canals are dumped with full and half engines spare parts and human waste, while illegal structures were built along drainage path and all the canal setbacks have been turned to shops and trading points.“A visit to the place shows street traders have taken over the inlet and outlet to the market.

Residents petitioned the state government about lack of access to their homes and property. These traders have degraded all the major access roads to the market which needs remediation rehabilitation,” he stressed.Bello, however, gave some of the conditions, which the commissioners explained, might warrant re-opening of the market included: complete removal of all illegal structures and attached structures built along canal paths and that traders must be confined to the main markets.

He said under no condition must they trade or solicit for customers on the main road, they “must remove all shops attachments built round the market/canals, remove all derelict and abandoned vehicles packed within the market as far as the expressway, remediate all forms of degradation on the roads and market area, sort out waste management issues with LAWMA as they cannot continue to dump into the canals, ensure total cleaning of the entire market and adjoining streets which they have degraded, among others.”

The Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola has vowed to enforce the new traffic law and the existing environmental laws of the state to ensure the state remains environmentally-friendly.
The governor, who disclosed this on Tuesday after visiting some on-going projects sites, however warned visitors and those interested in coming to live in Lagos to keep abreast with the details of these laws so as not to break them. Mr Fashola said the state government will not fold its arms while some residents live in Lagos as if they are living in their villages.

“You can’t continue to live like you are in your village here in Lagos. Life in Lagos is changing by the day. The government has spent fortune to ensure good environment, drainages, roads and transportation system. It is unfortunate some people are still living as if they are in their village.“Please, if you can’t obey our environmental and traffic laws, stay back in your village,” the governor warned.'

Eko Ile: ^^^^^^ That was last November when the governor issued that warning, the village clowns thought the governor was just bluffing...

Lagos is not a lawless society like your villages, shape up or shape out...

ilugunboy:

Bakkassi boys in Lagos? Allah Yorubas are too tolerating!

See their much talked about flat heads!

kettykings: if this is not a declaration of Economic war on Igbos then what is it,Useless Igbos will keep taking this insult living low and pretending that their exist one Nigeria.
What stops igbos from mustering their financial strength and do a 3 to 5 year plan of Divesting their Businesses from Lagos state.

The Importation Business would take place from Ibaka port and the new port in Bayelsa.
The Telecommunication Businesses will be Divested and new Companies founded in the East with New transatlantic optic fiber laid.
Banks owned and affiliated to igbos Relocate/move their Headquarters to the east.
The Real Estate owned by Igbos and Niger Deltans should be put up for sale and better structures put up in the East
All Oil and Gas Drilling Business and oil servicing Businesses owned by SE/SS should relocate within the 5 year plan to the East.
While the one not owned by Easterner would be made to pay very heavy Annual registration fees.
The Oil Companies not owned by SE/SS would also be made to pay very heavy fines to sort out Environmental Degradation and at the slight of any Oil Spillage the companies should be closed down and until the owners pay a heavy fine of $16B.
All fights to and fro the Major Destinations in the World will originate and terminate from any of the international Airports in the east

speaking with the journalists, Sulaiman said the state government had lots of issues with the market, ranging from hooliganism, lack of toilet facilities, degradation of the environment with diesel and fuel products. He added that the traders in the market formed another government.He explained that the taskforce officials came  to the market two weeks ago, but the leaders of the market did not show up.“There are serious trading going on  in the streets and there are lots of shanties here. We will make sure that this time around, proper sanitation is done by the traders before this market will be re-opened and they have to submit to the Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area,”

[size=14pt]Lagos shuts Ladipo Market, seizes charms and dangerous weapons[/size]



The Lagos State Government today shut the popular auto spare parts market, Ladipo Market in Mushin area of Lagos, southwest Nigeria. Ten suspected Bakassi boys were also arrested during the closure of the market. Dangerous weapons and charms were also confiscated during the raid.

Officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit stormed the market as early as 4.00a.m  and shut it because it was filthy.

Last week, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello visited the market and decried the wanton degradation of the environment and filthiness of the area and warned that if nothing was done, the market would be shut.  The traders took government’s threat lightly and did nothing to remedy the situation.

Hundreds of fully armed taskforce officials  led by its Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman, a Chief Superintendent of Police besieged the market and shut it down, with thousands of traders shut out.

The traders were dispersed by taskforce officials with several canisters of teargas.

An Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, was stationed at the Toyota end of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway while the area was barricaded.

The traders said they were caught unawares as they never expected the market to be shut.

A trader, who craved anonymity said, “we don’t like the closure. It will bring suffering to us. We came in this morning and met our market shut and the police stopped us from entering. No notice was given to us and what are we going to do now?”

Another trader, Uche said he did not expect the market to be shut, while another trader, Nduibuisi appealed to government to re-open the market as the traders would lose lots of money.

Taskforce Chairman, Sulaiman said the state government had lots of issues with the market, ranging from hooliganism, lack of toilet facilities, degradation of the environment with diesel and fuel as well as traders in the market turning themselves to another government.

“We came here two weeks ago, but the officials of the market did not show up. There is serious trading going on in the streets and there are lots of shanties here. We will make sure that this time around, proper sanitation is done by the traders before this market will be re-opened and they have to submit to the chairman of Mushin Local Government,” he stated.

Chairman, Mushin Local Government, Olatunde Adepitan described the closure of the market as a welcome development and long overdue, saying this is the only way forward for the Local Government.

“The hooliganism here has gone out of control. These people have turned themselves to another government. When you interfere in their matters here, they will tribalise the issue and that is why as a government we take things easy so that it will not escalate into a tribal issue.

“There is need to sanitise this place. The people here look at themselves as the Niger Delta of Mushin Local Government.

“We will liaise with the taskforce officials to ensure that before re-opening this market, registration forms will be given to the people so that we can know who is who and those who are trading here because inside the Aguiyi Ironsi Market here, there are criminals. There are arms right in the market and there are Bakassi Boys living inside this market,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for the Environment, Bello, said he ordered the closure of Ladipo Market after several meetings and warnings with the market leadership and traders about the deteriorating state of the market.

“The environment is seriously polluted and degraded with oil;  full and half engines, spare parts and human waste are dumped into surrounding canals while illegal structures are built along drainage paths and all the canal setbacks have been turned to shops and trading points.

“A visit to the place also shows that street traders have taken over the entire major inlets and outlets to the market, while residents have severally petitioned the Ministry of the Environment about lack of access to their homes and property. These traders have degraded all the major access roads to the market which need remediation and rehabilitation,” he said.

According to Bello, some of the conditions that might warrant re-opening of the market include: complete removal of all illegal structures and attached structures built along canal paths and that traders must be confined to the main markets.

“Under no condition must they trade or solicit for customers on the main road. They must remove all shops attachments built around the market/canals, remove all derelict and abandoned vehicles parked within the market as far as the expressway, remediate all forms of degradation on the roads and market area, sort out waste management issues with LAWMA as they cannot continue to dump into the canals, ensure total cleaning of the entire market and adjoining streets which they have degraded, among others.”

lukkie: I went to the market recently and took these pictures while waiting for the guy to source some parts. Note that this is just a small section of the market.

berem: So what if bakassi boys are in Lagos? were they causing any nuisance? there are southeast security personnels attached to almost all the markets owned by igbos in Lagos. So why should this be a problem? Am not against Fashola closing the market. If the ministry of Environment gave genuine reasons for closing the market based on sanitation, it is left for the igbo traders to adhere to the laws. you can't trade in a dirty environment despite the nature of the business. moreover, the local government where the market is located has a bigger role to play. why would they not provide basic amenities like water and toilet facilities after the traders pay heavy tax to them? that is very unfair!