Market Fire: Lagos Orders Owners Of Stalls Beneath Eko Bridge To Relocate

The Lagos State Government on Monday issued a quit notice to all the traders with containerised stores and other forms of stalls recently gutted by fire at Oke-Arin/Ebute-Ero market beneath Eko Bridge to relocate with immediate effect.

The State Government, in a statement signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, directed that all the traders, including those not affected by the fire incident of last Sunday, must move from the location.

Bello affirmed that everyone engaged in trading activities beneath the Eko Bridge irrespective of the structure, is affected by the order.

He noted that the State Government cannot fold its arms and watch the lives of the majority of the residents being exposed to avoidable dangers, stressing that the trading activities under the bridge are having an adverse effect on the integrity of Eko Bridge.

The Commissioner informed that the entire area will soon be cordoned off by the State government to prevent trading and erection of any type of make-shift structures at the location.

According to him, “the continuation of trading activities under the Eko Bridge will affect the Bridge with the possibility of endangering the lives of thousands of motorists who make use of the bridge daily”.

“To this end, the State Government has directed the Security agencies to monitor the immediate relocation of all traders from under the bridge and also ensure that no one is allowed to continue with any form of trading activity under the Eko Bridge anymore”, he added.

While imploring the Local Government authorities to desist from granting trading permits to anyone or erecting any form of structures under the Eko Bridge, Bello maintained that the activities of people who trade under bridges in the State have resulted in incalculable damage to such structures, warning that such excesses would no longer be tolerated.