Traders in Lagos continue to carry out commercial activities under bridges, defying the state government’s directives.
A visit to Mile 2 and surrounding areas on Monday revealed bustling markets under several bridges, with traders and squatters converting large sections into informal trading spaces.
Some traders, speaking to The Guardian, acknowledged that selling under bridges is illegal and unsafe but cited economic hardship as their reason for remaining there.
Adesola Kabiru, one of the traders, admitted awareness of the law but said, “We have no other means of livelihood for our families.” She added that they are constantly on the lookout for officials from the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) task force to avoid having their goods confiscated. Kabiru appealed to the government to provide more opportunities for the masses.
Another trader, Aishat Abiodun, agreed that the government’s ban on trading under bridges is for safety, particularly to prevent accidents. However, she explained, “This is our only means of making a living and providing for our families.” She suggested that creating more job opportunities could reduce the number of traders in unauthorised areas.
Funmi Adekanbi, a small-scale trader, shared her struggle, saying, “I have to hustle to put food on the table for my children. I don’t have a husband, and I’ve been the one taking care of my five children with the little I sell here. The government should at least have some compassion for us,” she pleaded.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for KAI, Lukman Ajayi, stated that the state government has repeatedly warned traders to relocate to designated markets for public safety and environmental reasons. He emphasised that KAI officials have been tasked with enforcing the order and expressed disappointment over traders’ continued defiance.
“They flee whenever they see KAI officials approaching,” Ajayi said, warning traders to comply with the directive. He added that the government would persist in ensuring compliance and deploy additional security measures to enforce the order.
