Lagos: LAWMA to Arrest Buyers from Illegal Street Traders

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced that, starting from next week, individuals caught purchasing goods from vendors illegally operating on public thoroughfares such as roads, medians, setbacks, and walkways will face immediate arrest and prosecution. This decisive measure is in strict accordance with Section 151(2) of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017.

Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, explained that this initiative forms a crucial part of an invigorated enforcement strategy. Its primary objectives are to combat illicit trading activities, curb indiscriminate waste disposal, and prevent the obstruction of public infrastructure across Lagos State. Gbadegesin highlighted that the enforcement efforts will now extend beyond merely targeting traders operating in prohibited zones; customers who patronise them will also be held equally accountable under the law.

He explicitly stated, “The law does not only prohibit illegal street trading. It also makes it an offence to buy goods exposed or offered for sale in prohibited places. From next week, anyone found buying from traders operating on roadsides, medians, walkways, setbacks or other unauthorised spaces will be arrested, alongside the traders, and prosecuted in accordance with the law.”

Furthermore, he warned that individuals convicted of this offence could face a penalty of N90,000, a six-month jail term, or both.

Gbadegesin further elaborated that illegal marketplaces frequently found on roadsides and medians are a significant source of waste, which is often discarded into drains, onto roads, and other public areas. This practice, he noted, contributes to blocked drainage systems, severe traffic congestion, and poses considerable public health hazards.

“Our objective is to stop the cycle that allows illegal trading and indiscriminate waste disposal to return after enforcement operations. Traders occupy public spaces because people continue to patronise them. Buyers must understand that their actions sustain the problem and that they are also accountable under the law,” he affirmed.

The LAWMA chief also mentioned that the Authority is intensifying waste collection services within inner streets and communities, particularly in areas where illegal dumping sites had previously been cleared. He assured that any identified service shortcomings would be rectified, while deliberate or repeated dumping, alongside continued support for illegal markets, would be met with stringent enforcement.

Gbadegesin implored residents and commercial entities to utilise officially recognised markets and approved waste collection channels. He stressed that personal convenience should not compromise public health, environmental cleanliness, road safety, or the organised use of shared public spaces. He concluded by reiterating LAWMA's unwavering commitment to consistent enforcement, active stakeholder engagement, and enhanced waste collection services as part of its ongoing efforts to eradicate open dumping and elevate sanitation standards across Lagos.