Defiant Lagos Illegal Traders Return To Trading Spots

The latest efforts of the Lagos State government to dislodge street traders occupying road corridors and other unauthorised locations at Tafawa Balewa Square and the Costain Under Bridge/National Theatre axis seemed to have suffered a setback as the traders have returned back to their trading spots.

LEADERSHIP Weekend checks that the defiant street traders who were dislodged a few days back have returned in their large numbers to display their wares along the street, blaming their activities on the rising cost of hiring a shop and the parlous state of the country’s economy.

Bisi, one of the street traders seen around TBS selling fabrics, said: “ This is my only means of survival. That is why I am trading here. I have been trading here for the past four years , everything I do depends on this trade. To rent a shop here is N500,000 per annum. That is half a million Naira. Most of us cannot afford that. Instead of pursuing us here and there, why can’t the state government provide cheap shops to willing traders like us.

‘’Some people who do not need the shops would buy it from the government at a cheaper rate and rent it out to traders at a very high rate making things difficult for us.”

Feronmi Oladele, a petty trader who sells plastic wares around the Square, said “This place we are selling is not totally free, some people come every day to give us tickets and we pay the N500 every day to be trading here. I learnt they are from the local government council. It is not easy to live and do business in Lagos State. Right now business is not moving. The state government should provide affordable shops and grants to traders to help us during this period.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said their activities were unacceptable to the state government, saying they litter the roads with refuse.

According to him, the enforcement operation was part of the agency’s sustained efforts to promote environmental cleanliness, “protect public spaces and ensure that roads, walkways and other public areas were used for their intended purposes.”

Gbadegesin pointed out that their dislodgement was carried out in collaboration with the Kick Against Indiscipline, adding that it was “targeted street trading activities obstructing pedestrian and vehicular movement and contributing to environmental nuisance along the affected corridors.”

Gbadegesin warned traders to desist from occupying road corridors, walkways and other unauthorised locations, urging them to operate only from designated and approved trading areas.

The LAWMA boss noted that maintaining orderly public spaces required sustained compliance.

Gbadegesin averred that LAWMA would continue to work with relevant government agencies to address activities that undermine environmental standards and public order.

The LAWMA boss urged residents and other stakeholders to support enforcement efforts by complying with established regulations and avoiding activities that obstruct public spaces or contribute to environmental degradation.

He said that LAWMA would sustain monitoring of the affected areas to prevent the return of illegal trading activities and ensure continued compliance.

Meanwhile, some traders of Oduduwa Model Market, Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos State who are not illegal traders have protested what they termed attempted forceful eviction from the market.

According to their Chairman, Samuel King Olatunde, they built their warehouses with their resources, following a fire incident in 2017 and had been paying their rent regularly.

Olatunde said the problem began following a change in management in 2023. He alleged that the new management under one Mr Komolafe increased the yearly rent from about N600,000 to N4 million, while efforts to negotiate a lower fee led to a prolonged dispute.

He said the traders later agreed to pay between N1 million and N1.5 million following interventions by the Mushin Local Government officials, but the disagreement persisted.