The Lagos State Government has maintained that the Oko-Oba Abattoir will remain shut until its operators commit to complying with the state’s environmental regulations.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known during a recent live television interview.
He stressed that the facility would not be reopened until the operators demonstrate readiness to meet the minimum standards for running a hygienic and environmentally compliant abattoir in Lagos.
Wahab recalled that the government ordered the closure of the Oko-Oba Abattoir last Thursday over unsanitary practices, improper waste disposal, and unhygienic handling of animal products.
He noted that residents had long raised concerns about the environmental impact of the operators’ activities, which had also damaged assets outside the facility.
He explained that the abattoir operators had proven difficult to manage, despite past efforts by the government to modernise their operations, including foreign trips to expose them to mechanised slaughtering techniques.
Wahab added that the recent action followed a petition from the Ministry of Agriculture requesting intervention over the persistent environmental violations at the abattoir.
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The Commissioner revealed that the operators had also abandoned pens designated for animals and converted them into living spaces.
Despite the closure, Wahab said the state received reports that some operators had relocated to an abandoned gas station nearby to slaughter animals, while others resorted to butchering livestock by the roadside.
Enforcement teams have since been deployed to prevent these illegal activities.
Wahab criticised the operators’ disregard for the law, insisting that Lagos would not descend into a lawless state where ‘life becomes nasty, brutish, and short.’
He emphasised that residents and business owners must comply with established regulations, particularly those protecting public health and the environment.
He noted that the abattoir is overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture, with agencies such as the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LASWAMO) monitoring operations to ensure compliance.
The Commissioner disclosed that the government had engaged the abattoir’s concessionaire, Harmony, and the operators’ leader, Galadima, stressing that discharging untreated animal waste into public drains constructed with taxpayers’ money would no longer be tolerated.
Operators were directed to properly process waste through the facility’s effluent treatment plant.
Wahab lamented that despite the availability of mechanised and semi-mechanised slaughtering infrastructure at the abattoir, with usage rates as low as 10%, the operators preferred traditional methods that violate hygiene standards.
Addressing wider environmental concerns, Wahab highlighted Lagos’ vulnerability to climate change, including rising sea levels, heavy rainfall, and extreme heat.
He urged residents to exercise patience during flash floods, especially in low-lying, reclaimed areas, explaining that such flooding typically recedes shortly after rainfalls.
He noted that the Ministry had cleared 1,141 illegal structures obstructing drainage channels as part of efforts to improve flood management, in line with the 2017 environmental law which empowers the government to enforce such measures.
Wahab also advocated for tree planting and the preservation of green spaces to combat climate change, warning against the unchecked expansion of concrete developments that contribute to environmental degradation.
He further cautioned developers against encroaching on wetlands in areas like Iketu, Agbowa, and Magodo, stating that the state would continue to resist such activities.
“I want residents to be patient with the government. Infrastructure takes time to develop. In the past two years, we’ve cleaned about 666,000 metres of primary channels and 397 secondary collectors. These are ongoing processes that will yield results in due course. Large drainage projects, such as trapezoidal channels, cannot be completed in a year,” Wahab explained.
He urged Lagosians to take ownership of their environment, saying: “If nature brings heavy rainfall, tides, and excessive heat, we must play our part. On our part as a government, we will continue to respect and protect the environment.”
