The Lagos State Government has intensified its crackdown on environmental violations with the demolition of illegal structures at the Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege.
This comes on the heels of the facility’s indefinite closure due to severe sanitation breaches.
Announcing the move on Monday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed that the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) led the operation to dismantle structures built along drainage setbacks within the abattoir.
“As part of a clean-up exercise, operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial commenced the removal of illegal structures built on drainage setback inside Oko Oba Abattoir,” Wahab stated.
The enforcement action, according to Wahab, aims to restore order, enhance hygiene, and avert potential disease outbreaks by ensuring proper drainage and waste disposal at the site.
The demolition follows the government’s earlier decision to shut down the abattoir over widespread environmental abuse, including poor meat handling practices, indiscriminate dumping of animal waste, and encroachment on public drainage systems.
Speaking during a live television interview on Sunday, Wahab emphasized that the abattoir would remain closed until operators meet the required environmental and hygiene standards.
“The abattoir will remain shut until the operators comply with the minimum standards of operating a decent facility. What we found there was heart-wrenching,” he said.
Despite years of engagement and support from the government, including sponsored visits abroad to modern abattoirs, Wahab expressed frustration over the operators’ refusal to adopt standard practices.
“We’ve been engaging them for years.
We even sponsored visits abroad to see how a modern abattoir operates, but they’ve refused to change. Now they’ve taken to slaughtering cows at a nearby abandoned gas station and on the streets,” Wahab said.
He further revealed that only 10 percent of the facility’s mechanised equipment is in use, with most operators neglecting basic hygiene procedures.
“Animals are pushed out of the pens while humans sleep inside. The stench is unbearable, and it’s destroying public infrastructure.
Many residents have vacated their homes because of the pollution,” the commissioner added.
Wahab also issued a stern warning that the government would not be swayed by emotional or political pressure regarding the abattoir’s closure.
“The government would not bow to blackmail or religious sentiments aimed at politicising the closure,” he asserted.
The demolition exercise underscores the state government’s renewed commitment to enforcing environmental regulations and protecting public health across Lagos.
