The Lagos State Government has insisted that the Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege will remain sealed until operators meet minimum hygiene and environmental standards. Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this clear during a televised interview on Sunday, stressing that public health and environmental integrity take precedence over business convenience.
The abattoir was shut down last Thursday following persistent complaints of waste mismanagement, unsanitary meat handling, and environmental degradation. Wahab noted that despite prior government-led capacity-building efforts—including foreign training for stakeholders—the operators have continued to flout regulations, even converting animal pens into makeshift residences.
He decried the misuse of government infrastructure, revealing that only 10% of the abattoir’s mechanised systems are in use, while untreated animal waste is routinely discharged into public drains, facilitated by the concessionaire and operator-in-chief.
Wahab condemned illegal relocation of slaughter operations to roadside spots and abandoned gas stations, warning that Lagos will not tolerate lawlessness: “This is not a Hobbesian state… people must comply.”
In a broader context, Wahab spoke on Lagos’ environmental resilience efforts, disclosing that over 1,100 encroachments had been cleared to enhance drainage, while 666,000 primary channels and 397 secondary drains had been desilted. He warned developers against illegal construction on wetlands in areas like Magodo, Iketu, and Agbowa.
Calling for public collaboration, Wahab urged Lagosians to “take ownership of our environment,” highlighting that LASPARK has planted 20,000 trees in 2025 as part of climate mitigation efforts.
