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Tension engulfed the Costain and Apapa Road areas of Ebute Meta (West) in Lagos Mainland on Friday as officials of the Lagos State Government carried out a demolition exercise that displaced traders and disrupted commercial and vehicular activities. The operation, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, was conducted in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), and the Nigeria Police Force. Beginning in the early hours of the morning, the exercise targeted makeshift stalls, kiosks, and temporary market structures. Many traders scrambled to salvage their goods as officials of the state flattened rows of shops and sheds. Speaking to journalists, Giwa said the operation aimed to clear illegal structures and curb criminal activities in the area, describing the stretch as a monumental affront to public decency, environmental order, and the collective security of Lagosians. He added that the exercise also covered unauthorized garages and abandoned trucks under the Ijora Bridge, which he said posed environmental and safety risks. However, several affected traders decried the exercise, saying it has left many small business owners homeless and penniless. A trader in Apapa road, Kudirat Ojomo described the demolition as vindictive. She said, “I’ve been trading at Costain for over ten years. This is where I feed my children from and take care of our needs. We have been peaceful and law-abiding until Sola Giwa invaded Costain truck park and demolished stalls. “Following the public outcry by affected traders, he visited his anger on us to justify his on the illegal demolition on the 23rd of October. And on his second return one week after, our stalls were affected. They didn’t give us enough notice. Now I have nowhere to go. Where do we go from here? We have been displaced from Otumara and at Costain here, where I am managing to keep ends meet, as S.A just woke up one day and decided to visit his anger on us.” Another trader, Ezekiel Andrew questioned the insistence of the demolition team on Apapa road and not areas like Oyingbo, Ojuelegba, Idumota and Yaba where traders are more exposed to danger than those at Costain. “Calling this place a criminal den is unfair. Many of us live in shanties not by choice but because the government has failed us. If we had better opportunities, we wouldn’t be here. “It’s a known fact that traders trading on Bridges at Idumota, Oyingbo, Ojuelegba and Yaba are exposed to dangers but Sola Giwa and his team chose to terrorise us at Costain that is peaceful. Why is he bent on destroying our lives, stalls and means of livelihood? This is the second time this would be happening in the month of October,” he stated. He explained further, “We are helpless! We are forced to live in shanties and trade in stalls by the side of the road. This is because the government has failed us. If the economy is good and thriving, do you think we would choose to be on the road? “Now we have accepted our fate and decided to push on and here comes an agent of the state government calling for our heads. This government is insensitive to our plights. They don’t care about the less privileged. Lagos cannot be turned into a mega city at the expense of the traders and the everyday people whose wellbeing depends on their daily hustle.” He appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide alternative spaces and shelters for displaced traders and also investigate the involvement of Sola Giwa in the entire demolition saga. Despite the backlash, Giwa defended the demolition, insisting it was necessary to restore order and ensure free movement. “These structures were illegal and posed serious environmental and safety risks. We understand the inconvenience, but the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term discomfort,” he stated. READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
