Market leaders at Ladipo Spare Parts Market in Lagos State, have expressed frustration over the sudden closure of the popular Apapa–Oshodi Expressway hub, saying no prior warning was given before the government sealed the premises.
“The closure is not good news or a good idea. No prior warning was given to us before the government decided to seal the market,” Onyeka Igwe, an executive of the market, told The Guardian.
“We made a lot of changes and if there is any infraction or anything done differently from what we had discussed, the government should have called our attention and told us where we are not doing well. No formal meeting or call on the market leadership. We will discuss our next line of action.”
Barely three years after it was last shut down, the Lagos State Government on Saturday again closed Ladipo Spare Parts Market over repeated environmental violations.
The action is part of the state’s ongoing enforcement drive to ensure compliance with environmental laws, curb street trading, and prevent improper waste disposal.
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said, “This morning, the Lagos State Government sealed Ladipo Spare Parts Market along Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road (Apapa–Oshodi Expressway) due to repeated environmental infractions, including indiscriminate refuse disposal on the median and highway, as well as illegal street trading.”
The market had previously been closed in 2023 for similar environmental concerns.
