The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate reopening of the Oko-Oba Abattoir located in the Agege area after operators met the required standards for hygiene and sanitation.
The abattoir had been shut down on June 19 due to several issues related to cleanliness and poor management practices. Government officials had found serious environmental problems at the facility, including improper waste disposal and unsafe slaughtering conditions.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, shared an update on Saturday through his official X (formerly Twitter) account. He noted that the people in charge of the abattoir had now met the basic standards required by the government, which had not been followed before the closure.
Wahab explained that going forward, the abattoir will be under close watch. “We therefore urge the operators to avoid unsanitary activities, waste mismanagement, and unhygienic handling of animal products as they conduct their businesses,” the ministry stated in a separate message on Friday.
Before the closure, Wahab had visited the abattoir and described what he saw as disturbing. “They slaughter animals, discharge waste into the public drainage system, and it’s just unacceptable,” he said in a video shared online.
He also noted that some individuals were living inside the market with the animals, calling it a very unhealthy and dangerous practice.
After the shutdown, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps moved in and removed illegal structures that had been built along the drainage paths within the abattoir area. These actions were part of the government’s efforts to clean up the location and prevent future hazards.
