The Nasarawa State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the Lafia Modern Market due to what it described as “deteriorating sanitary conditions” within the facility.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Margaret Elayo, led officials of the ministry and security personnel to enforce the closure on Tuesday in Lafia.
Elayo said the government’s decision followed several unheeded warnings to traders to clean up their environment and maintain proper hygiene within the market premises.
She confirmed the repeated warnings and the condition for reopening, stating: “We have repeatedly appealed to traders to keep their surroundings clean, but the situation has continued to worsen. The market will remain sealed until the traders’ leadership mobilises members to clean and sanitise the premises to make it suitable for business operations,” she stated.
As of the time of filing this report, all entrances to the market were locked, with security officers and environmental sanitation personnel stationed at the gates to ensure compliance.
Some traders expressed disappointment over the government’s action but admitted that the unhygienic state of the market called for urgent attention.
A trader, Musa Abdullahi, told reporters: “It’s painful that the market is closed, but we understand the reason behind it. We’ll cooperate with the authorities to restore cleanliness so business can resume.”
Observers have raised concerns over the poor sanitary conditions in markets across Nasarawa State, urging consistent enforcement of environmental regulations to address negligence among traders.
Earlier this month, a similar action was taken in Lagos, where the Itedo Market in Lekki was shut indefinitely for repeated environmental violations and illegal roadside trading, with five persons reportedly arrested during the enforcement exercise.
The Nasarawa State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring a clean and safe environment, warning that other markets found in violation of sanitation laws would face similar sanctions.
