The Lagos State Government has reopened the Oko-Oba Abattoir in Agege following what it described as substantial compliance with hygiene and environmental standards by the operators.
The facility was initially shut down on June 19 due to widespread environmental violations and inappropriate operational practices.
Confirming the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that the abattoir operators had met the minimum requirements for operations, which were previously ignored.
He disclosed that officials from the ministry would now conduct monthly inspections to ensure sustained compliance at the abattoir.
“We therefore urge the operators to avoid unsanitary activities, waste mismanagement, and unhygienic handling of animal products as they conduct their businesses,” the ministry added in a statement.
Before the closure, Wahab had led an inspection to the facility, expressing displeasure over the unhygienic conditions. He decried the slaughtering of animals in unsanitary environments, the discharge of waste into public drainage systems, and individuals sleeping alongside animals within the market.
Following the shutdown, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps removed illegal structures built along drainage setbacks within the premises.
The Environment Ministry said it would continue working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to maintain hygiene standards and improve operations at the Oko-Oba Abattoir.