The Lagos State Government has shut down the well-known Oja Oba market also known as Ile Epo Market, which ranks as the state’s second-largest food market, following Mile 12.
The market was shut down on Monday by officials from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
This makes it the second time in one year that the government officials are taking the action.
The market was temporarily closed for approximately four weeks due to environmental violations.
It was reported that several trucks from LAWMA were operating within the market on Monday despite the gates being closed to both sellers and buyers.
The specifics of the violation committed by the market have not been disclosed.
When contacted via a telephone number posted at the entrance gate, the individual who answered requested reporters to visit the LAWMA headquarters.
However, a confidential source mentioned that the market was shut down due to severe cleanliness issues.
The market is very, very dirty and the state government doesn’t want to take anything to chance with the spread of cholera that is why LAWMA was directed to move in and shut the market. You can also see heaps of refuse around here. This, I think, was why the market was shut,” a source told our correspondent on the condition of anonymity,” Daily Trust quoted the source saying.
However, the Ministry of Environment at the state level has not yet released any official statement regarding the closure.
Speaking on the situation, the MD/CEO of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin said:
Following complaints from concerned members of the public, particularly @Freestuv1, Oja Oba market at Ile Epo was sealed this morning by a combined #ZeroToleranceLagos Task Force consisting of @Lawma_gov Monitoring and Compliance Team and men and women of @LAGESCOfficial. This market has become notorious for very poor sanitary conditions and failure to comply with set waste management regulations.
This action is taken to protect members of the public from food-borne and water-borne diseases like cholera, thypoid, dysentery etc.
Members of the public are advised to raise the alarm anywhere they see these kinds of poor sanitary practices by markets or other business outlets.
Join us to protect OUR LAGOS.
You can call our toll free numbers to report: 07080601020, 080000LAWMA
Or email us at info@lawma.gov.ng