LAGOS — Confusion and fear gripped Mile 12 Market on Friday morning as operatives of the Lagos State Task Force and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) locked the gates with traders and shoppers still inside — and without any prior notice.
The sudden closure around 7:30 a.m. left hundreds trapped and bewildered. Many had arrived early to set up their stalls and make purchases, only to find themselves shut in with no explanation or warning.
“It felt like a prison,” said one trader who narrowly escaped before the gates slammed shut. “No announcement, no reason — just chaos.”
As the crowd inside grew anxious, calls for help poured out. The Legal Aid Department of the Transparency and Integrity Brigade (TIB) immediately responded to the distress calls. The Head of Department, Mr. Bolaji Oluwatosin, said they reached out to various government agencies — but even the Ministry of Environment’s Monitoring and Compliance Department reportedly said they weren’t aware of the lockdown.
“This is a serious breach of citizens’ rights,” Oluwatosin said. “You cannot just confine people in a market like animals. There has to be due process. We are demanding accountability and an immediate end to this type of treatment.”
The tension has raised concerns over how far government enforcement can go in the name of environmental compliance. Later that day, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Hon. Tokunbo Wahab, issued a statement confirming that several markets, including Mile 12, were sealed overnight due to repeated environmental violations.
According to the statement, the closures were necessary to tackle illegal waste dumping and restore order in public spaces. A long list of affected markets in Mile 12 and Ketu was published, but no mention was made of the early morning lock-in.
Despite the government’s justification, traders say the way the operation was handled showed a lack of respect for human dignity.
“We’re not criminals,” said another market woman. “If there’s a problem, talk to us. Don’t just shut us in like we don’t matter.”
