The Lagos State Environmental Corps, LAGESC, has shut the Oke-odo Market, Ile-Epo, under Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area for flouting government directives on precautionary measures to curtail the spread of Covid-19 in the state.
It was learnt that traders and buyers had flooded the food market as early as 6:am in contravention of the government directive that such market be opened at 9:am on specific days.
Although today is one of the designated days permitted for the market to open for business, the flagrant disregard for the social distancing directive, use of face masks and other measures necessitated the closure of the market.
Mr Edafe Oghenebrume, the Media Aide to the LCDA Chairman, Dr Augustine Arogundade, who monitored the exercise, said “the enforcement team were forced to take that decisive action in view of the fact that both traders and buyers today flooded the market despite the fact that the Governor gave guidelines as regards days and hours for markets to operate in the state.
According to him, “it was baffling that as early as 6am this morning, the rate of influx of traders and buyers in Okeodo market was too high and it actually compromised the principle of social distancing and violated the guideline of days of operation.”
Some leaders of the market we’re said to have tried to chase out their members and buyers from the market to forestall the closure, but their action was too late to stop LAGESC officials from sealing off the market.
The closure of the market did not come as a surprise to many. Community Standard learnt that the market allegedly commence business even before the official 9:am directed by the government.
Most traders and buyers of perishables come to the market as early as possible to transact business. The enforcement exercise could be a result of tip off.
Photo credit: Edafe Oghenebrume
