The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), has reiterated its commitment to cracking down on alcohol sales, street trading, and hawking in various areas of the city. This renewed effort is part of the government’s ongoing operations to eliminate these environmental violations within the Lagos metropolis.
In a recent statement, the Corps Marshal of LAGESC, CP Gbemisola Akinpelu (rtd), emphasized that street trading on roadsides, pedestrian bridges, setbacks, medians, and hawking on major highways are clear violations of the state’s environmental laws. She highlighted the illegality of these activities and affirmed the agency’s determination to clamp down on all environmental offenders, particularly those selling alcohol in parks and garages across Lagos.
Akinpelu emphasized that the enforcement drive of LAGESC would be intensified, leaving no room for street traders or hawkers to evade consequences. She revealed that numerous arrests had already been made during the ongoing enforcement against alcohol hawkers in the state’s garages and parks. Several suspects have been arraigned and sentenced by the courts.
The Corps Marshal instructed the agency’s Special Squad to increase daily enforcement efforts, apprehending defaulters for immediate arraignment, while confiscated goods are stored in the agency’s facilities. She also outlined the procedure for seized perishable and non-perishable items, which involves distributing perishable goods to orphanage homes and storing non-perishables until a court order is obtained for public auction, with proceeds remitted to the state coffers.
Akinpelu also stressed the importance of pedestrians utilizing pedestrian bridges erected across major highways to avoid accidents caused by speeding motorists.
Recent raids conducted by LAGESC resulted in the seizure of alcoholic drinks worth millions of naira from parks and garages. The government expressed concerns over the excessive sale of liquor in these areas, as well as on roadsides and in traffic.
Furthermore, the Lagos State Government recently warned street traders, particularly those on the Third Mainland Bridge and Eko Bridge, that zero tolerance would be shown for street trading in those areas. Violators will be prosecuted in mobile courts. The government’s actions align with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda, which aims to promote a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing environment, enforce sanitation laws, and create a safer state for all residents.