The Lagos State Government has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to traders operating along the Alaba Rago corridor on the Mile 2–Badagry Expressway, ordering them to vacate or face enforcement action. The decision targets the bustling roadside market, known for its makeshift shops and illegal structures, which officials argue tarnishes the image of Nigeria's commercial capital.
Government cites international image and environmental concerns
The Alaba Rago corridor forms part of the ECOWAS Road, a key route linking Lagos to the Seme border, heavily used by cross-border traders and international travelers. Lagos State Taskforce chairman, CSP Adetayo Akerele, stated that the current state of the corridor—characterized by illegal structures, roadside trading, and what he described as "mini brothels"—does not align with "the status of a modern megacity." According to Akerele, the government conducted sensitization talks with traders before issuing the notice to avoid immediate enforcement.
Official warning to traders
A director from the Ministry of Information and Strategy delivered a blunt message to the traders: "The life you are living here on the expressway is not good... find a place to rent and be living there and go to market and sell your market." However, the government has not announced any relocation plan, alternative market, or compensation for the affected traders, leaving them to fend for themselves.
Pattern of evictions raises concerns
This eviction follows a troubling pattern in Lagos. Just last week, the Oshodi Resettlement Market—itself a relocation site from an earlier eviction—was shut down indefinitely after traders allegedly attacked sanitation officials and damaged government vehicles. Similarly, in Makoko, residents report that a clearance zone initially set at 30 meters from power lines was later expanded to 500 meters, displacing tens of thousands. In Ilaje-Otumara, over 10,000 residents were displaced without notice last year.
No clear future for displaced traders
While the government's rationale—that an international route should not double as an unregulated market—is understandable, the lack of a relocation plan suggests enforcement may outpace support for those affected. Traders along Alaba Rago have until the deadline to leave voluntarily. What happens after that could become another flashpoint, similar to the recent clashes at Oshodi.
