The Lagos government threatens to arrest and prosecute street vendors.

The Lagos government threatens to arrest and prosecute street vendors.

The Lagos State Task Force has issued a warning to traders along Oshodi Road who indiscriminately display their wares on the walkways that they will be arrested and prosecuted.

This was made clear in a statement released on Wednesday by the agency’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, by the Chairman, Shola Jejeloye.
Jejeloye mentioned that commercial vehicle owners and traders had been warned earlier in the year despite the government making adequate provisions for the marketplace, shopping plaza, and Nigerian Army shopping arena.
He stated, “We carried out an enforcement exercise on March 9 this year where some goods were seized from the traders and some commercial bus drivers’ vehicles were impounded. However, we had compassion on the traders and some drivers, who had purchased some of the goods through soft loans with the promise that they would not return to the roadside again.”
“Unfortunately, we can see that they are fully back on the road, but this time, the agency will arrest and prosecute anyone who is caught displaying goods along the roadside.
“If they do not turn over a new leaf, commercial vehicle operators who are known to be unruly and have total disregard for road traffic rules will be arrested and have their vehicles impounded.”