Demolition Of Illegal Structures At Agege Market

Shop owners and traders along the railway line at Agege market in Orile-Agege Local Council are counting their losses following a demolition exercise carried out in that area last week by the Monitoring Enforcement and Compliance unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment .

According to eye witness accounts, bulldozers, accompanied by mobile police men and the army, moved into the site at about 10am penultimate Sunday to carry out the operation.

When M2 visited the market Monday, last week, most of the affected traders were seen trying to salvage the remains of their wares. Some of them claimed that they were not given enough time while some said they had no where else to go.

However M2 gathered from other affected traders that government had given them notice over six months ago, but some of them probably never took it seriously. Mr. Jude, a trader whose friend’s shop was affected, said that the men came on Sunday when people will not be in the market because they had already informed them before then.

The demolition at Agege market, many said, may be part of the state government’s plan to revamp the railway lines within Lagos.