Roadsides and walkways petty goods hawkers, may have to start considering benefiting options for their activities following Lagos State Acting Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi’s directive to Lagos State Task Force to commence dislodging of illegal trading on roads and walkways, in order to reduce traffic gridlocked around markets across the state.

Imohimi expressed dissatisfaction over activities of traders who indiscriminately displayed their wares on roads and walkways thereby causing serious traffic gridlock to motorists and commuters.

Imohimi was worried that activities of the street traders not only hindered free flow of traffic, but also gives room for miscreants and hoodlums to attack motorists while in heavy traffic around major markets across the state.

Meanwhile, the operatives of the Task Force, during a joint enforcement operations carried out with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), had arrested 11 traders alongside a traditional chief at Igando axis of the state, for collecting illegal fees from traders on roads and walkways daily.

It was gathered that during interrogation, the 11 arrested illegal traders alleged that chief Amodu Shakiru, collected money from every traders who sells on the road and walkways in the area.

One of the traders, Caroline Endurance, claimed that the chief allocated walkways and road setbacks to traders and that each trader pay him N500 daily.

“If you don’t pay N500 to Chief Amodu Shakiru (Baba-Oja), you won’t be allocated space to sell goods in the evening at Igando’

On his part, the Chairman, Lagos State TaskForce, Olayinka Egbeyemi, advised traders to conform with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Laws and Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2012 in order to have an orderly, hygiene and traffic free society.

Egbeyemi stated both the Lagos State Task Force and Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) would continue to enforce the laws and arrest traders aiding and abetting illegal trading across the State.

The Chairman vowed that no amount of abuse or propaganda would deter him from carrying out its legitimate duties in accordance with the laws saying nobody is above the law

He however confirmed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Acting CP Edgal has directed that all 11 arrested illegal traders including ‘Baba-Oja’ who collects illegal fees from traders be immediately charge to court for prosecutions.