Oyo Govt launches crackdown on street trading, open Grazing
Enforcement team
The Oyo State Government has begun a major enforcement campaign targeting street trading, open grazing, and other violations of public order and environmental laws across the state.
The operation, spearheaded by the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA), was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade.
The enforcement drive kicked off on Tuesday in Ibadan, led by the Chairperson of OYRLEA, retired Justice Aderonke Aderemi, and the Chairman of the Environmental Task Force, retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Francis Ojomo. High-risk areas, including the popular Bodija Market, were the focus of the initial operation.
Traders operating illegally along roadsides were evicted, while makeshift stalls, mobile counters, and goods were cleared. Justice Aderemi explained that the enforcement followed months of public awareness campaigns, including a sensitisation initiative that began at Bodija Market earlier this year.
“We began sensitisation in January. This crackdown is to ensure strict compliance with the law. Offenders will be prosecuted,” she stated.
In a related incident, enforcement teams seized three rams and a cow in Unique Estate, Oluyole, for violating the state’s anti-open grazing laws. Justice Aderemi gave the livestock owner a seven-day deadline to reclaim the animals or risk forfeiture and fines.
Similarly, residents of Abidiodan in Lagelu Local Government were issued a seven-day notice to remove illegal shanties constructed on road setbacks. Officials warned that the structures posed security risks and could serve as hideouts for criminal elements.
The coordinated operation involved personnel from Operation Burst, the Environmental Task Force, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Amotekun Corps.
