The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has intensified its enforcement and environmental sanitation operations along the Badagry Expressway, removing illegal structures and vehicles that had been occupying public spaces between the Lagos State University (LASU) Gate and Okokomaiko.
Operation Details and Collaboration
In a statement shared on its official X account on Monday, LAWMA disclosed that the operation targeted makeshift structures and illegal occupants obstructing the corridor. The exercise aims to restore order, improve environmental sanitation, and enhance traffic flow along one of Lagos' busiest highways.
“The clearance operation along the Badagry Expressway continued from LASU Gate to Okokomaiko, where illegal occupiers and structures were removed to restore order and improve the corridor,” the agency said.
The enforcement was conducted in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), whose officials removed vehicles illegally parked on the road median. “In collaboration with LASTMA, enforcement teams also removed vehicles that had been illegally using the median as a parking area, while demolition activities and the evacuation of debris progressed across the affected locations,” LAWMA added.
Part of Broader Government Efforts
The agency revealed that the operation is part of the Lagos State Government’s ongoing efforts to reclaim public spaces, improve environmental sanitation, and ease traffic congestion across the state. This comes as the state government intensifies enforcement of environmental laws following growing concerns over indiscriminate waste disposal and misuse of public infrastructure.
Previously, PREMIUM TIMES reported that drainage channels along the Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway, another major transport corridor, had become clogged with plastic bottles, nylon bags, food packs, and other refuse. During visits to the area, human excreta was also observed in parts of the drainage, highlighting persistent sanitation and public health concerns despite ongoing clean-up efforts.
Investigation and Governor's Directive
Responding to those findings, LAWMA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, told the newspaper on Monday that the agency would investigate the affected stretch and carry out enforcement, noting that open defecation is prohibited under Lagos environmental laws. The investigation followed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s directive to LAWMA, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources to intensify waste evacuation and environmental enforcement after concerns over mounting refuse across roads, drainage channels, and other public spaces.
On Monday, LAWMA stressed that the Badagry Expressway operation formed part of those sustained efforts. “The ongoing exercise forms part of sustained efforts to reclaim public spaces, improve traffic flow, and create a cleaner, safer environment for all road users,” the agency said.
