Court Remands 34 Street Traders Arrested on Lagos-Badagry Expressway

By Peter Dansu  A magistrate’s court in Bolade, Oshodi, has ordered the remand of 34 individuals caught engaging in street trading along th...

By Peter Dansu 

A magistrate’s court in Bolade, Oshodi, has ordered the remand of 34 individuals caught engaging in street trading along the median of the Alaba Rago-Ojo section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The accused—32 men and two women—will remain in custody until July 22.

Their arrest followed a joint enforcement operation carried out by officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) task force and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). The exercise was part of the state government’s ongoing effort to clean up and reclaim public spaces overtaken by illegal trading activities.

Authorities say the traders had turned the expressway median into a market, with makeshift stalls and structures that not only disrupted traffic but also posed environmental and safety risks. Some of those arrested were also found using the structures as shelters, allegedly engaging in criminal activities.

Those arraigned include: Ibrahim Abu, 35; Isiaka Ashafa, 31; Shaibu Isa, 55; Abubakar Haruna, 29; Aminu Haruna, 21; Aminu Abdullahi, 20; Zakariyahu Yahusa, 50; Sunmola Musa, 25; Samsideen Ali, 21; Anthony Oyibo, 68; Abubakar Yusuf, 25; Muhammed Oseni, 27; Aliu Mohammed, 45; Lookman Adebayo, 43; Igudu Ibrahim, 25; Awalu Umar, 25; Sani Babangida, 25; Abdullahi Usman, 24; Aliu Ibrahim, 25; Roland David, 19; David Timothy, 18; Yusuf Adamu, 23; Abdulsalam Sanusi, 25; Nura Yusuf, 25; Idris Isa, 23; Nasiru Ali, 25; Mayi Daniel, 22; Isaac Samuel, 25; Yahaya Mamuda, 18; Salisu Ibrahim, 28; Yusuf Adamu, 20; Abdullahi Musa, 20; Fadipe Bose, 33; and Ebere Ndubuisi, 35.

Speaking on the development, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, reaffirmed the state’s resolve to clamp down on illegal street trading and other environmental offences.

He called on residents to support the government’s efforts by promoting cleanliness, order, and public safety. “We must all work together to build a more decent and sustainable Lagos,” Wahab said.