The Lagos State Government has launched a renewed clean-up operation around the Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege, demolishing illegal shanties and structures along drainage setbacks in a bid to restore order and improve environmental hygiene.

The exercise on Monday, spearheaded by the state’s Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) task force in collaboration with other security agencies, began today and targets structures said to be harbouring individuals involved in suspicious and criminal activities.

Residents and traders in the area have reportedly raised long-standing security concerns linked to these makeshift shelters.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, speaking on Sunday, stated that the abattoir would remain closed until its operators agreed to comply fully with environmental laws and operating standards. He emphasized that the facility would only reopen when the operators demonstrate a commitment to upholding the state’s minimum hygiene and waste management requirements.

Wahab recalled that the facility was shut down last Thursday over what he described as persistent unsanitary practices, poor waste disposal, and unhygienic handling of animal products. He noted that these infractions have damaged surrounding private properties and prompted frequent complaints from residents.

He also criticized the operators for being difficult to regulate, despite the government’s efforts to improve standards at the facility. According to Wahab, the state had previously taken the operators abroad to observe best practices in mechanised animal slaughtering, but these efforts have not translated into improvements on the ground.

The Commissioner disclosed that the latest closure was triggered by a formal petition from the Commissioner for Agriculture, citing severe environmental degradation at the site. He revealed that the operators had repurposed animal pens into living quarters and continued illicit slaughter activities even after the closure — relocating to an abandoned gas station and roadside spots nearby. Enforcement teams have since been deployed to prevent further violations.

Wahab stressed that Lagos is a governed state, not one of lawlessness, and urged residents and business operators to respect established rules for the common good. He explained that oversight of the abattoir falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, with the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and Lagos State Waste Management Office (LASWAMO) also involved in ensuring compliance.

The government, he added, has engaged the facility’s concessionaire, Harmony, and the leader of the abattoir operators, Galadima, insisting that the discharge of untreated animal waste into public drains must cease. Instead, the state has directed that all effluents be properly processed through the designated treatment plant.

The clean-up and enforcement efforts are expected to continue until full compliance is achieved.