The Lagos State government on Sunday warned Alaba Rago Market traders of possible closure if they fail to comply with the state’s environmental rules within 24 hours.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said this while speaking with journalists after inspecting the Alaba Rago Market and other areas.

Among the places visited by the commissioner were Idi-Araba and its environs, as well as Orile-Iganmu.

He said the market was sealed up last year for environmental infractions, adding that a decision would be taken if they failed to clean up the environment within 24 hours.

“We have been to Alabarago before sometime last year, and we had to seal the market for them to do the right thing.

“Unfortunately, we may have to thread that part, but by tomorrow evening, we will determine if we should or we shouldn’t.

“They now turn the place into a waste system point to dump their waste. They turned the markets, pushed it to the road, and blocked all the drainage systems and the alignments.

“They have agreed that they are going to clear everything, and if they don’t by tomorrow evening, we can now take steps to sanction them,” he said.

Earlier, the commissioner, who also took an inspection tour to Idi Araba, witnessed the cart pusher syndicate going on around the environs.

“For the past few weeks or months, there has been a major enforcement against cart-pushing statewide to enforce the law.

“So, we now had intelligence that this whole cart-pushing thing, there is a syndicate kind of behind it around Idi-Araba, and you saw it yourself.

“We are going to take steps to report to the law enforcement agencies this week about what we found out, and we also believe strongly that we must be very proactive about it,” the commissioner said.

Mr Wahab also took an inspection tour to Orile-Iganmu to appraise the situation around the place.

“We came to Orile because the other side of this place, there is a system there that gets to flood, and it has been awarded.

“However, that will not be holistically done without looking at this side of the road, which is the side of system five.

“So, we just came to see and appraise it, so the Lagos Waste Management Authority can come in this week and start moving the dirt so that the water can move on fine,” he said.

Mr Wahab appealed to Lagosians to take ownership of their environment during Sallah celebrations by being responsible.

(NAN)